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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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HOW TO 

GRADE AND TEACH 



COUNTRY SCHOOL, 



By JOHN TRAINER, 
Superintendent of Schools, Macon County, Illinois. 

ft . 



''To give system and efficiency to the work in the Dist7'ict 
Schools is of paramount importance. " 

Baldwin. 



PUBLISHED BY 

BURGESS, TRAINER & CO., 
Decatur, Illinois. 

1885, 



u 



COPYRIGHT BY 

JOHN TRAINER, 

1885. 



U^Ja^O- U^I^X^^ OyUL^C^I^ U-<:ijLA/^'0^\^L^ ^^^yL<yO-'Uyua./Qy^= 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

Introduction 7 

The Plan — The State — Theoretical 29 

The Plan — The County — Practical 29 

The Course of Study 31 

Classification 50 

Regular Examination , 60 

School Records 71 

Awards to Pupils 74 

Care of Examinations 7^ 

Annual Exercises 78 

Reports of Teachers 79 

School Exhibits 88 

Catalogues 88 

Decorations and Miscellaneous 95 

Outline of Study for Primary Division 108 

Outline of Study for Intermediate Division 176 

Outline of Study for Advanced Division 346 



PREFACE. 



The question, "What can be done to improve the 
condition of the country school, has been ably discussed 
from the platform of our educational gatherings for 
many years; school journals have devoted pages to this 
important question, teachers have labored from the 
first to improve the system of instruction as found in 
these schools of the people; legislation has been in- 
voked in innumerable instances to satisfy the demands 
of a practical constituency; superintendents, of both 
county and state, have recommended plans for the solu- 
tion of the problem; and National Bureaus of Educa- 
tion have issued circulars attempting to solve it. 

For a time these discussions and suggestions recom- 
mended special helps and aids; they were all good so 
far as they proposed to improve the rural schools, and 
aided very materially in giving teachers better methods 
of classification, and instruction; thus was the question 
answered in part; many of the country schools were 
improved by these discussions, but not all of them. 

Within the past few years these discussions having 
profited by the attempts to improve the rural schools, 
have very materially changed the general drift of opin- 



6 Preface. 

ion, from that of a desire for special helps, to a gener- 
alization of all the details offered in past years, and 
finally, within the recollection of the youngest teacher, 
the answer to the conundrum has been flatly given, 
"Grade them. " 

Immediately the question, "how shall we grade the 
country schools," was propounded, and as quickly, men 
have attempted to answer it. The writer has no criti- 
cism to offer upon the plans proposed by others, but 
desires to be understood that he heartily endorses all 
suggestions leading, or tending to the solution of the 
last problem; the answer to the first question has been 
fully given in the command, "GRADE Them!" 

To answer the enquiry to this last command, is the 
object of this book; in the hope that the plans here 
laid down, may be suggestive of some better system, 
to be developed in the near future, the author sub- 
scribes himself, 

A Country Teacher. 

Decatur, 111., July i, 1885. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Present Condition of the Ungraded School. 

It is not the province of this book to discuss the past 
condition of the rural schools, but on the other hand 
to deal directly with their present condition, with a 
view to offering plans of work that shall improve them. 
With this intention the writer wishes to notice the 
actual condition of the country schools, in order to have 
a fair understanding of the obstacles in the way of 
grading them. 

When we reflect that the rural schools of our country 
provide elementary instruction for more than one half 
of our school population, and that a large majority of 
this number never enter the course for higher instruc- 
tion, it seems strange that a people so fertile in invention 
and adaptation of means to the object to be obtained 
as ours, should be content to adhere to the typical rural 
school so closely as they have done. In making this 
statement we do not desire to say that there has been 
no improvement, for improvement has been shown all 
along the line, from the rude log school-house which 
contains the children of the rugged clearings among 
the broken hills and mountains of the forest, to the 
handsome frame or brick buildings of the broad and 
fertile prairies. That there has been progress cannot 



8 Hoiv to Grade a?td Teach a Country School. 

be disputed, but that it has kept pace with the advance- 
ment of the present age cannot be clearly proven. 

What, then, is the actual condition of the average 
country school? 

Accepting the general concession of prominent edu- 
cators, that all the surroundings of the school should 
be as pleasant as possible, the writer begs no apology 
for considering the actual condition of school grounds 
and school buildings throughout the rural districts; as 
he proposes to treat this topic from a practical stand- 
point, he quotes from his note book, the actual con- 
dition of an average school as noted from actual visits. 

"The Grounds." — The grounds were fenced at some 
time in the past, but the posts have rotted from their con- 
tact with the earth, and about two-thirds of the fencing 
has toppled over for the children and the stock of the 
neighborhood to trample upon; many of the boards are 
missing, having been used for "ball paddles;" for kind- 
ling, by the teacher, by the boy who gets to school 
earlier than the teacher, and by the enterprising eastern 
man who goes west in the "prairie schooner." The 
part that is standing, being convenient of access for the 
"Young American's" jack-knife, has been whittled into 
fantastic mouldings of different patterns, or carved into 
unsightly hieroglyphics and phrases which should cause 
the thoughtful person to shudder for the morals of 
those innocent beings who are compelled to gaze upon 
that which defiles and destroys the soul. * * * ^ 
shade tree stood on the east side of the house, and was 
thrifty and vigorous when Miss M. taught school; but 
the two last teachers have permitted the restless boys 
to girdle and scar it with the jack-knife until there is 



Introduction. 9 

but one narrow strip of sapwood left for the passage of 
its "life-blood." It has lost its vigor, and must soon 
stand with broken limbs, a sad memento of what it 
might have been, until the "big" boy, grown stronger 
than it, pulls it down and laughs at the weakness of his 
fellows who were unable to make it yield. * * * ^ 
well is found in the yard, but the pump has lost its 
priming, is filled with pebbles and leans to one side of 
the curbing; this latter is broken in one or two places 
and crumbling into the water below; a boy informs us 
that "there is a dead rabbit and two toads in the well, 
so we can't use the water, and so we pack it from Mr. 
\Y's." * * * There are no walks to the outbuild- 
ings, but two well beaten paths indicate that much mud 
has been carried from its place by the shoes of the 
pupils. * * These buildings were once ornamented 
with triangular openings in the gables for the admission 
of light, and with a good shingle roof from which pro- 
truded a plain ventilator. The triangular openings have 
been lengthened to the ground, by splitting the vertical 
weatherboarding and removing it from the framework; 
many of the shingles have been broken off at the pro- 
jecting ends and others driven through the roof by the 
heavy shoes of the farmer boys who show their agility 
by scaling the building and leaping from its roof to 
the ground; the moulding is broken from the ventilator, 
and one side of it contains an obscene picture rudely 
made by the use of the red "keel-stone" found in the 
vicinity; the door is broken from its hinges and stands 
in one corner, and must be placed in the opening to 
screen the occupant from the passer-by on the public 
highway; the seats have been covered with filth and 



io How to Grade and Teach a Country School . 

cannot be used; the floor has a missing plank, and is 
filled with excrement. * * * Remnants of a wood- 
house remain in the shape of a part of the floor and the 
sills, completely covered with the slack from the coal 
piled upon them during the past winters; the house had 
gone the way of the disappearing fence, well platform, 
and other outbuildings. 

The House — Exterior. — The house is well protected 
by good shingle roof which replaced the old one last 
summer ; the flue barely protrudes from the "comb," as 
the bricks which had carried it above the roof, had been 
knocked off and lay part way down the side of the roof; 
it had been the target for the ball in the play of "ante- 
over," and for the brick-bats taken from the broken 
wall at the north end. The lightning-rod was broken 
from its first point, and the heel marks and mud along 
the rod clearly indicated the means of climbing to the 
roof to secure the lodged ball. Dozens of names are 
written in pencil, upon the north wall; obscene coup- 
lets are inscribed in a mixture of paint and script, indi- 
cating the culture of the writer to a certain degree; 
the wall beneath the east windows clearly told that the 
teacher bolted or propped the door shut upon Friday 
evenings, climbed out of the window, and reversed the 
action on Monday mornings by climbing into the room 
and removing the bolt or other fastenings. One of the 
door-panels was broken and splintered from the stout 
kick of "Bill Muscle" last winter, when the boys fas- 
tened him out at noon. 

Interior. — The ceiling is smoked and covered with pa- 
per balls of all sizes from that of the dimensions of a small 
bean to that of the large " quid;" the walls were broken 



Introduction, \\ 

hear the door and covered more or less with grease, "ap- 
ple-sass, " and "pumpkin-butter; " the east wall contained 
the remnants of two of Pelton's Outline Maps; (the roll- 
ers were missing and they hung diamond shaped by 
means of the faded binding;) one of these maps was in- 
verted and tacked over a window from which a pane of 
glass was missing — the map flapping in the air as it en- 
tered the room when the door was opened (there was 
no other means of getting air, as the lower sash was 
nailed down, excepting the one used for egress and in- 
gress, and the upper ones were stationed just as the 
carpenter and the painter had left them;) the west wall 
contained a picture, cut from Harpers' and pasted upon 
it by lumps of chewed bread placed at the corners; the 
north end had several ball marks, and a large quid of 
tobacco staring at the visitor; the motto "Welcome," 
had once occupied the space over the door, but now the 
evergreen had dropped from the pasteboard letters, and 
some of these were out of place, or suspended by one 
corner; the windows were conspicuous for the absence 
of shades and for the presence of dust and spider webs, 
except the lower row of panes, where the inmates had 
rubbed off the dust by using the sleeve or the hand (?) 
The stove-pipe was too short, and in order to supply 
this deficiency, the ornamented feet of the stove were 
placed upon bricks, beneath them to the depth of four, 
resting upon the wide surface; the stove door was 
broken from its hinges, and was removed from its place 
by passing the poker through its ventilator, and placing 
it upon the floor during the process of replenishing 
the fire; the furniture was of the Old ''^6'' style, being 
made up of heavy angular desks, each containing two 



12 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

legs, and each bound to the other by a heavy two by 
six plank bolted through the center of the row at right 
ancrles with the desks: the faces of these desks were a 
study within themselves; many contained holes cut "in 
time of books," capital letters, diagrams, etc., too 
numerous to mention; the teacher's desk was made 
from heavy lumber and boxed in the form of an old 
fashioned meal chest; there were no drawers in it, and 
its only receptacle was beneath the lid which opened 
upward and was hinged by means of strap-hinges to 
the rear edge, thus necessitating the removal of every 
object before the lid could be raised; a broken globe 
stood in one corner, one leg broken from the tripod, 
and the brass meridian warped out of shape, the globe 
itself standing with the pole to the zenith, evidently so 
adjusted by some of the children. In another corner 
stood a dusty collection of faded paste-board cards, 
about twenty by twenty-eight inches, labeled "Mott's 
Modern Business Cards;" whatever good there may be 
in them was left to the dust, and to the spiders. Beside 
the teacher's desk stood a walnut box about eighteen 
inches high, and twelve by twelve at either end; it con- 
tained a drawer filled with two or three dozen soiled 
stereoscopic views; a double set of lenses had once oc- 
cupied the circular openings at the top of the box, and 
a lid, broken from its hinges lay upon its top; the 
teacher said that it was intended for a stereoscope, but 
it was out of repair somewhat; he said that it was ac- 
companied by a half dozen large volumes descriptive 
of the hundred views, but that the boys had carried 
them away and he did not know of their whereabouts. 
A walnut case stood against the back of the teacher's 



Introduction. 13 

desk, and contained the remnants of what had once 
been a district library of forty-two volumes; this library 
was made up of the unsold books published by the pro- 
prietor of an agricultural paper at Albany, New York, 
and consisted of heavy treatises upon the chemical 
properties of our most common manures, of foods for 
different kinds of stock, of mildew in the grape, of 
house sanitation, of flower and house gardening, of 
seed time and harvest, of the care of poultry, of the 
diseases of sheep, of butter making and the care of 
milch cows, of the glanders and horse distempers, etc. 
Not one single book on the list would entice any pupil 
to read it, from their very titles themselves. Of the 
three or four found, but one remained intact, the others 
being more or less torn, and containing wide pencil 
drawings of nameless animals, hippogriffs, and even the 
child's idea of the appearance of Satan was faithfully 
delineated. * * * * A blackboard four by six feet 
and too high to be reached by the primary pupils occu- 
pied a space on the north wall; there being no crayon 
in sight and the board appearing to be dustless, the 
teacher explained that he had not used any chalk in this 
school, but thought he "should get a box when the 
holidays were over and the big boys and gals came in." 

Notes. — The above description of the house and 
grounds is not exaggerated, but taken directly from the 
notes made upon the premises during a first visit to the 
school. A description of the same house and grounds 
is presented at the proper place, but the notes were 
made four years later, and by the same visitor. 

In justice to the county from which the above school 
has been selected, the writer would say that many of 



14 How to Grade and Teach a Cou7itry School. 

the school grounds and buildings were in excellent con- 
dition, generally speaking, while there were a few in 
poorer condition in some of the special details; especi- 
ally was this the case in connection with the water- 
closets. A few schools actually having no such build- 
ings. 

(We here present a faithful copy of the private 
minutes, made up during the visit for the day; dear 
teacher, did you believe that such a state of thines 
could possibly exist in an old settlement in any com- 
munity within the boundaries of the Union?) 

Records. — On being asked for his register of daily 
attendance, the teacher lifted the lid of the desk, up- 
setting his ink and throwing his pen, paper, and a work 
on law to the floor, and drew from its contents a sheet 
of soiled foolscap, roughly ruled and upon which was 
found the names of his pupils with an "X" opposite 
their names in the proper space for the attendance 
record; the X's not occupying the spaces for the past 
two or three days he was asked to explain, and did so 
by saying that he usually made up the register for the 
week on Friday evening; on enquiry we learned that 
he kept this paper for no other purpose than to keep 
his schedule as clean as possible, and that he destroyed 
the paper as soon as it had served its purpose; no 
register could be found and there was no way of de- 
termining what persons had preceded him except 
through the recollection of the brightest pupils; how- 
ever he said that the children told him that "Ruth 
Cline had taught there the year before. " In answer to 
our question concerning the presence of some record of 
examinations or files of such papers, he said that he had 



Introduction, , 15 

not heard of any about the house and appealed to the 
children to obtain the answer, "I don't know what you 
want;" by way of explanation he remarked that he had 
"often thought of holding an examination for my big 
girls in geography, but I did not think of the paper 
when I went to town." (Before leaving we learned 
that he went to town regularly every Saturday.) 

The Recitation.— The first class called after our 
entrance was the Fifth in reading; the teacher simply 
said, "Mary, your class may read," when Mary, followed 
by four girls and one boy, passed awkwardly to the 
recitation line (a crack in the floor of the rostrum,) and 
facing the school, each in turn read a stanza of "The 
Mariner's Dream;" no questions were asked, no ex- 
planations given, and no one was helped except when a 
pupil halted in the reading, the whole class would 
loudly pronounce the word for him. The class soon 
finished the selection and the teacher looking at his 
watch said, "the class may turn to page 343 and we will 
read the selection read yesterday. " We suggested to 
the rising girl that she read to a period, and then the 
class might want to consider it; she read to the end of 
the paragraph and drew her breath but once in the 
time; a hand went up and in explanation the boy said, 
"she did not stop at Hindoostan." Finding that some 
of the pupils knew what a period was, we tried reading 
to a comma in turns; then we tried reading to first 
pause and naming it, the next in the class beginning 
without interruption; the scare being worn off we asked 
the class what was meant by "Abensina," in "Obidah, 
the son of 'Abensina, etc.;" one of the girls thought it 
was "a place in Hindoostan," the class agreeing to this; 



1 6 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country ScJioot. 

to what is meant by a ''caravansary," they agreed that 
it was "a kind of wagon;" they had no idea of what 
was meant by "pursued," "vigorous," and "animated," 
and said that "plains were used for slicking wood;" 
"incited means tried by a jury;" no one was able to 
define valley, or hill, but said they knew but could not 
tell; to the question "what is meant by, he saw the hills 
gradually rising before him," one girl thought that 
there was an earthquake and the hills rose up as he 
came to them. By this time we were getting well 
enough acquainted to talk with each other qu'te freely, 
and we returned to ask if any one had a dictionary; 
the boy quickly spoke, saying, "Aunt Scynthia has one 
and she says I may have it if I will bring it to school, 
but Pa. says I have no use for a dictionary yet." One 
of the girls slyly said that she "saw one at Arthur's 
store last winter and that it was just chuck full of 
pictures." Other members of the class were silent. 
We suggested that possibly we were running over the 
program time, but the teacher said he had no program 
as it could not be used in his school, and to the sugges- 
tion that the small children would need to recite, he 
replied that it did not make any difference, as his Fifth 
reader class was the most interesting; by gentle hints 
we succeeded in getting him to dismiss the class and 
call the next one; "Jim, your class may read," brought 
out a First reader class of three members; in order to 
be fortified we enquired how many minutes he devoted 
to this class, and received the following, "usually about 
five, but sometimes not so much;" Jim further explained 
that "we did not read yisterday at all." We thought 
so when we heard him; it was a constant halt, with the 



Introduction. 1/ 

finger on the word, and a constant telling process all 
the way through the class; no blackboard work, no 
slate work, no preparation for the new words of the 
lesson, no explanation, no conversations as. to meaning 
of sentences, words or phrases — simply a senseless 
repetition of words, nothing more. And so it was 
through all the reading classes; lifeless, listless, dead 
work. "My God, is there no help for the country 
school!" 

The work was but little better in the other branches, 
the only difference being that the teacher questioned 
the classes by using the questions in the text books; to 
illustrate, he repeated the questions in Geography in the 
exact order found in the book, and as the children could 
answer but few of them, he would look at the map, 
or the text, and read the answer from the book; when 
a pupil or pupils could give the expected answer, he or 
they answered abruptly, or in concert; the same was 
true in United States History, and in Arithmetic; there 
was no grammar in the school, and the teacher ex- 
plained this w^ith the statement that his pupils did not 
want to study it; there were four persons old enough to 
study history and thirteen who should be studyingGeog- 
raphy; all the pupils in the school had a spelling book, 
(those just beginning in the First reader as well as those 
in the Fifth reader.) A few had copy-books, but they 
had not "written for a day or two as I had not time to 
set the copies," was the answer; to the question "why 
do not all write?" he replied, "oh, the most of them are 
too little to write, and the rest do not get copy-books." 
"Do you have a regular time to write every day?" "We 
do not write every day; the pupil just writes when he 
2 



1 8 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

has time, and when I get time to set the copies; they 
write too much and waste the paper when I keep them 
in copies; this is why I do not ask them to buy books 
containing copies, for they soon fill a book and then the 
parents grumble at the expense. " To the statement 
that we thought his First reader pupils should learn to 
write, he replied, "they are too little to write and must 
print until they get through the Third reader." 

By some adroit questioning during the afternoon, and 
after dismissal, we succeeded in noting the following as 
his classification: 

PRIMARY DIVISION. 

No. in First Reader. . 12 No. in Penmanship o 

Second " . . 6 " " Number work . . . . o 

Spelling I 8 " " Miscellaneous o 

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION. 

No. in Third Reader. 7 No. in Penmanship 2 

Fourth " 5 " " Arithmetic 12 

Spelling 12 " " Geography i 

Language . . . . o " " Primary History . . O 

ADVANCED DIVISION. 

No. in Fifth Reader . 8 No. in U. S. History 3 

"Grammar.--, o " " Spelling 8 

Geography.-. 6 " " Penmanship 5 

Arithmetic 7 

Notes on above. — i. It will be noticed that none 
were pursuing the study of numbers in the Primary Di- 
vision; it should be stated that four of the Second 
reader pupils had a practical arithmetic, and that the 
two other members including each member of the First 
reader class possessed a primary arithmetic and were 



Introduction , Iq 

assigned regular lessons each day; no writing was re- 
quired in this division, but pupils were permitted to 
print if they desired to do so; under the head of "mis- 
cellaneous" we expected to find exercises in common 
things, such as learning the days of the week, of the 
month, points of the compass, time by the clock, direc- 
tions and distances to known places, school ground geog- 
raphy, repeating easy maxims, etc. But one slate was 
found in the hands of a member of this division; no 
work was given them outside the regular text-book 
routine. No language work was done in the school; 
but two were permitted to write from the intermediate 
division, while ten from this grade were not required to 
handle the pen; but one studied geography, while there 
should have been at least four; none were pursuing the 
study of primary history, while at least five should have 
done so. 

None were studying grammar, while eight should have. 
been found in this class; two were missing in geography 
and one in arithmetic; the teacher explained that he 
could not get them to take it as they did not like it; five 
were missing from the history class and three were too 
"big" to write. 

The number enrolled was thirty-eight, and the num- 
ber present twenty-four; over thirty-six per cent, of the 
enrollment were absent; the day being a pleasant one 
the teacher said the attendance was better than usual. 
Here is the number of classes heard in this school: 
Arithmetic, 8; U. S. History, i; Language, o. 
Geography, 4; English Grammar, o; Spelling, 5. 
Miscellaneous, o; Penmanship, o; Number work, o. 
Eighteen classes in four branches! Had he pupils in 



20 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

all the branches he would have had over forty classes. 
(The writer has found as high as forty-seven classes in 
a country school, and all to be heard each day.) 

The cases cited above are extreme ones so far as the 
number of classes is concerned, but about average for 
the branches pursued. 

The Discipline. — The discipline was all that could 
be desired by the most inveterate scold! The teacher 
complained that his scholars were worse when he had 
visitors, and stated that he disliked to reprimand when 
any one was present. There was no regularity or 
system in calling or dismissing the classes, none in 
calling or dismissing the school; pupils came in as 
they passed out — as they pleased and ivhen they pleased. 
The whispering was intolerable; pupils talked loudly and 
constantly about everything except their school work; 
pupils of all grades passed promiscuously and with free- 
dom to all parts of the room for different purposes; the 
teacher claimed that he had whipped a great deal when 
he first came into the school, but that he now had them 
under control and did not need to do so as frequently as 
formerly: (Several well worn rods lay between the 
library case and the walnut desk) two boys were sent to 
Mr. Green's for a bucket of water as " books took up " 
at noon, but they did not get back until the dismissal 
for recess at 2 130, and then the bucket was but half filled 
with water, and that contained many broken pieces of 
grass stalks and pieces of weeds. The children crowded 
around the bucket and soon consumed the water, leav- 
ing the floor wet and muddy where they trampled. 
During the recess hour the pupils lounged upon the tops 



Introduction, 2i 

of the desks in ungainly positions, and chatted very 
loudly about the neighborhood news, etc. 

By the time the teacher was ready to dismiss his 
school, its members were ready to spring to their feet 
with hats and bonnets in hand and prepared to see who 
could shout the loudest, or get out at the door first. 
The teacher's actions told clearly that they were but 
transacting the regular daily routine work of that school, 
and possibly in a more orderly manner than usual. 

Other items might be given but we desist; suffice it to 
say that we found a few schools in worse condition than 
this one, and about two-thirds in the county visited 
somewhat better in many respects, but none thoroughly 
graded; a i^sN were found in excellent condition as com- 
pared with the example given above, but none so good 
that they might not be improved by the judicious 
supervision of a competent officer, aided by some sys- 
tematic mode of classification and examination. 

As a rule our laws require but little supervision on the 
part of our school officers; their duties are laid out in the 
shape of clerical work, compiling statistics of a general 
and of a special nature, in looking after the accounts of 
inferior officers, and in the examination of teachers. 
Supervising officers have given more attention to the 
organization of our vast commonwealth into districts, to 
the building of school-houses, to the distribution and 
management of moneys, to the care of school property, 
than to any internal work of the school-room. 

All of this has been appropriate, and, in its place, 
should precede the organization of the working forces of 
the school; these measures were necessary from the first, 
as in the building up of a state school system all of these 



^2 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

preparations were absolutely necessary, as the founda- 
tion of a successful system that should furnish means 
and money to support such a vast outlay of expenses in 
the preparation to furnish the people with our free 
schools. These measures go but to the door of the school- 
room and thus far have failed to step inside and say what 
shall be the course to pursue. The house is furnished, 
usually, at first with all that is needed to teach a first- 
class school; the desks are all that can be desired, the 
heating apparatus is perfect; the chances for ventilation 
are good, if properly managed; the daily register is fur- 
nished, if the teacher asks it; wall maps are readily 
obtained; a globe may be had at slight expense; a diction- 
ary is furnished, provided the teacher makes the people 
and the children feel that they need one; in fact, there 
is but one thing lacking, and that is proper and effective 
SUPERVISION; GIVE THE SCHOOLS A THOROUGH SYS- 
TEM OF SUPERVISION THAT SHALL TEST THE WORK OF 
ALL CONNECTED THEREWITH, FROM THE STATE OFFI- 
CER TO THE CHILDREN, INCLUSIVE, AND THE BEST OF 
RESULTS MUST FOLLOW. 

OBSTACLES TO BE OVERCOME. 

Let US candidly look at the obstacles to be met in the 
inauguration of anything like a thorough system of 
school supervision; if by carefully considering these 
obstacles we may devise any plans for overcoming them, 
then we have successfully met them, and are able to 
substitute something better in their stead. The obsta- 
cles are about as follows: 

I. A school of both sexes, and of all grades from 
the primer to the sciences, and the higher mathematics. 



/;/ traduction. 23 

2. The entire absence of any record of the progress 
of the pupil, of the classification of the school, and in 
some cases not even a daily register of attendance. 

3. The irregular attendance of the pupils brought 
about by the peculiar surroundings of farm life, the 
distance from the school, inclement weather, poor 
teachers, indifference of parents and guardians, absence 
of attractive school rooms, and above all an entire ab- 
sence of anything like systematic incentives to school 
work, or to progress. 

4. The frequent and constant changes of teachers, 
caused by the want of professional skill, by the con- 
stant incentives held up to him to do something of a 
professional and permanent character, and thus causing 
him to make teaching a "stepping stone" to that pro- 
fession. 

5. The poor salaries paid in many districts fail to 
call out the talent of the county and places the mediocre 
at the head of the school. 

6. The want of professional training for the duties 
of the room on the part of the teacher is encouraged 
by the directors and school boards by the common say- 
ing, "anyone can teach our school," and the consequent 
low salary offered. 

7. The underbidding of teachers themselves, putting 
a premium upon "cheap teachers," thus supplanting the 
best talent in the calling. 

8. The more permanent positions in the villages and 
the cities are making a constant drain upon our number 
of ambitious and progressive teachers. 

9. The want of proper professional reading among 
the country teachers, in the shape of good journals for 



24 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

teachers and books devoted to methods of teaching, and 
discipline. (This is occasioned in part by the absence 
of the teachers' library at the county seat, and by the 
non-attendance of teachers upon the annual or special 
institute.) 

10. The indifference of school officers to the needs 
and wants of the school room. Their conspicuous ab- 
sence from the school during the whole year, tending 
to make both teacher and pupil careless in the execu- 
tion of many important details. 

11. The indifference of parents to the prosperity of 
the school in general; it is not uncommon for parents 
to fail to visit the schools for years in succession; in- 
deed many of them must admit that they "have never 
been inside the school house since it was built." 

12. The frequent changes of text books is a detri- 
ment to the schools where a course of study is not 
closely followed, and that by the topical method of 
studying, and of teaching. 

13. The constant removal of tenants from district to 
district tends to mix the texts more and more, and to 
keep their children from the schools a great portion of 
the time; in many cases where these poor people are 
required to purchase new books in order to enter the 
school, they fail to furnish their children with proper 
texts and are thus debarred from school privileges. 

14. The varying length of terms of schools is a 
serious drawback; the state law usually provides for a 
minimum number of months taught in the rural school; 
the time taught in a given district is then left to the 
whim of the board of directors and ranges all the way 
from the minimum required to ten months each year. 



Tjttrodtictiort. ^5 

Schools being of veirying lengths, are opening all the 
way from September to May. Pupils attending these 
schools must make different degrees of progress. There 
can be but little uniformity of work while this state of 
affairs exists. 

15. The notion prevails among weak teachers, the 
pupils, and the patrons, that there must be a uniformity 
of texts or else the child cannot enter his classes success- 
fully. This causes an enormous outlay of private funds 
annually for extra books alone. 

16. Teachers coming directly from the rural districts 
have no ideals above those of their predecessors, and 
are unable to organize or classify their schools with any- 
thing like a well-balanced course of instruction; they 
are unable to use any apparatus that may be at hand, 
and suffer it to be destroyed by ruthless hands that 
know nothing of its value. 

17. The traveling canvasser with some useless piece 
of furniture, apparatus, or chart, goes from district to 
district, and by his insinuating language backed up by 
flattery and false statements, succeeds in robbing the 
schools of money enough to furnish the whole state 
(ungraded schools) with all the apparatus and school 
helps needed. 

18. The unbalanced education of the pupils is a seri- 
ous hindrance to anything like uniformity in the pres- 
ent school work. Farmers have the notion that the 
"three R's" are ail that their sons or daughters need in 
their education, and that "if they can spell well and fig- 
ger in the head, il is really all they need." This notion 
being imparted to their children, leaves the selection of 
other studies to their own tastes, or peculiar fancy, 



26 How to Grade and Teach a Cotuitry School. 

and as a result, many of our bright boys and girls 
do not even pursue the study of some of the important 
branches; it is a fact worthy of note that the boys will 
usually omit grammar and the girls will never touch 
United States History. One pupil will omit one thing, 
another will omit another, and thus the whole school 
becomes unbalanced in its attainments. 

19. The teacher, having no guide to follow, or test 
applied to himself, soon selects and rides a hobby to the 
detriment and neglect of other branches. We have 
known teachers to spend the whole forenoon upon arith- 
metic and then rush through the afternoon's work of 
six branches, stopping at frequent intervals to assist the 
big boys in the solution of a difficult problem. 

20. The conscientious teacher having no guide for 
the selection of the practical in education, devotes as 
much time to the unimportant details of the text as to the 
practical, thus throwing away much valuable time. 

21. Pupils select some branch and pursue it as a 
study for years, because they admire it. We have 
known a large number of cases where pupils had pur- 
sued the study of text book geography for cigJit years, 
and yet an examination revealed the fact that they 
knew no more of the important places in the world than 
they did of the uninportant ones. Their knowledge in 
this branch was but a medley of isolated facts gathered 
from the question and answer process, beginning every 
term with the first question in the book, and going as 
far as possible during the term, only to repeat the same 
process the next term. 

22. With all of this devotion to special subjects it 
is not infrequently the case that classes must begin at 



Inti'oductioit. 27 

the first page in the book and take everything so far as 
they may advance during the term, and then be com- 
pelled to go over the same ground next term, never com- 
pleting the book. 

23. Parents know nothing of the progress of their 
children, owing to the want of regular statements at 
certain intervals from the teacher; parents have a right 
to know of the progress of their children and should 
demand it; but how can the teacher furnish it so long 
as he has no well defined purpose in view or has no test 
to apply to his work? 

24. The election of members of the board of edu- 
cation not qualified for the discharge of their duties is 
an ever present source of mistakes and neglect. The 
writer has known of boards serving for years in which 
no one could sign his name, but each was compelled to 
make his mark (his X mark) when signing orders for the 
teachers' pay or for the necessary contingent expenses. 

25. The unwillingness of directors to take hold of 
and initiate any thing "new under the sun." Any de- 
parture from the usual method of doing things is looked 
upon with suspicion and unfounded objection. 

26. The inability of many teachers to understand or 
comprehend the necessity of introducing a course of 
study into the several schools is at present quite a draw- 
back to the intelligent discussion of the subject in the 
county districts. 

27. The want of confidence on the part of the su- 
pervising officer in his ability to carry out any thing of 
a systematic character, under the impression that he will 
either fail or stir up opposition, is a hindrance that lies 
in the way of radical reform. 



28 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

28. The extensive field to be supervised by a single 
officer is so great as to make many fear their inability 
to direct and control the working forces of a county. 

29. The absence of anything like decorations in the 
school-room has induced a lethargy on the part of the 
pupils that tends to lessen the love for books and for 
study; they, too, are indifferent and usually would as 
soon remain at home as attend the school of their own 
accord. 

30. Finally, the entire want of anything like a re- 
quired definite work to be accomplished by both teacher 
and pupil during a stated period, is the bane of our 
present school system; just so long ns the teacher is not 
held responsible for certain results in his teaching, just 
so long will there be an isolated and varying condition 
of our rural schools. 

How are we to test the work of the teacher in the 
trial of any definite plan of work? 

To answer this question is the object of the following 
pages. 



The Plan. 29 



THE PLAN— THE STATE. (THEO- 
RETICAL.) 



Since this book deals with the practical, and with 
plans tried and tested, the author does not assume to 
discuss the question of State Organization, or to deal 
with the theoretical. 

No state (United States) has yet attempted a thor- 
ough organization of the rural schools within her do- 
main, thus placing the question of a thorough super- 
vision of the state before the public for its considera- 
tion, and no doubt, practical solution. 



THE PLAN— THE COUNTY. 



A working scheme, or plan of organization for the 
county, is here presented. The plan of organization is 
one that has been thoroughly tested, and with such 
satisfactory results as to warrant its presentation at this 
place. 



30 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



The j 
Plan "^ 



1. Course of 
Study. 

2. Classifica- 
tion. 

3. Regular Ex- 
aminations. 

4. School 
Records. 

5. Awards to 
Pupils. 

6. Care of Ex- 
aminations. 

7. Annual 
Exercises. 

8. Reports of 
Teachers, etc. 

9. School 
Exhibits. 



( Branches Outlined. 
\ Work Limited. 
C Primary Division. 

< Intermediate Division. 
( Advanced Division. 

C Teacher's — Monthly. 

< c • i. J ^' ^ Central. 
J bupenntendent s < -p. , 

C Monthly — Teacher's. 

< Central. > ^ • ^ j ^» 

j X7- 1 ) bupermtendent s. 



Central. 
Final. 



Certificate of 
Rank in Class. 



10. Catalogue. 



C Monthly. 

< Central. 
( Final. 

C At Central. > Examina- 
\ At Final. ) tions. 
i Teacher to Parents, etc. 

< Teacher to Superintendent. 
( Superintendent to Directors. 
f Central Papers. 

J Final Papers. 
^ February Monthly. 
[ Miscellaneous Work. 

Of the School. 

Of the County. 

a. Of Teachers. 

b. Of Schools. 

c. Of Centrals. 

d. Of Final. 

e. Of Exhibits. 

f. Miscellaneous. 



Decorations and Miscellaneous. 



The Course of Study. 3 1 



I. THE COURSE OF STUDY. 



In some of the foreign countries where the popula- 
tion is much more dense than our own, the education 
of the rural inhabitants is as carefully considered, the 
standards of work are as fixed, the supervision as thor- 
ough, the results as good, as in the primary depart- 
ments of their cities. These countries have courses of 
study tested and practically applied to the elementary 
grades of their schools. These courses are fixed by 
legislation, and usually carried out by enforcing gen- 
eral rules or decrees. The proper teacher or officer is 
compelled to enforce the use of the course of study. 

In Belgium the course of study provides that all 
pupils shall take the several branches in the order indi- 
cated by it; only those books may be used that have 
been selected in accordance with the national law; the 
teacher must conform to all methods of instruction 
given in the regulations of the minister of public instruc- 
tion; the program of work in the various branches of 
study is arranged by the head teacher, countersigned by 
the inspector of the canton, published by the municipal 
authorities, and placed upon the walls of the school- 
room by the teacher; the head teacher, or his assistants 
cannot make any changes in this outline of study with- 
out the approval of higher authority; the head teacher 
(principal) and his assistants are required to keep a 
daily record of the instruction in each class, the quality 
of the recitations, and the progress of the pupil in his 



32 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

class-work; the classification of pupils in the different 
divisions belongs to the head teacher, or, in case of dis- 
satisfaction, it may be referred to the cantonal inspector; 
the instruction must be equally distributed among the 
pupils, and no bright pupil is permitted to be pushed 
forward to give fine effect in the examinations; the room 
must be ventilated before and after the entering or dis- 
missal of the school; physicians receiving a salary for 
the care of the poor must visit the public schools at 
least once a month; these physicians must report the 
sanitary condition of the pupils to the proper authori- 
ties; pupils cannot be promoted from one grade to 
another until they have passed satisfactory examinations 
and have the approval of the head teacher. 

We quote directly from the program of education as 
published by ministerial decree in 1880, for the purpose 
of showing the object of the government in enforcing 
the course of study in the rural schools. 

"If it is important that the program should neither 
alarm nor discourage any one, it is of supreme neces- 
sity that it should offer serious obstacles to routine and 
become an instrument of progress ; that it should com- 
pel the teacher to awaken in his pupils a spirit of obser- 
vation, experiment, and reflection; that instead of habit- 
uating him to the disastrous methods of verbalism it 
should urge him to labor for the sound development of 
the faculties. It should constantly be a reminder to him 
that his last as well as his first daily duty is to make a 
thorough preparation of his lessons, that is to say, to 
find out the surest, shortest, and most attractive way of 
making his instruction reach the minds and hearts of 
his pupils. 



The Course of Study. ' 33 

The program ought to fulfill another important condi- 
tion. It should stimulate the teachers in small com- 
munes, while it responds to more general requirements. 
It should arouse them and encourage them to lead their 
pupils as far as the extreme limits of primary education 
properly so called will permit. But it should not become 
an obstacle in the path of improvement in larger com- 
munes which may wish to extend the education of their 
children beyond the ordinary sphere. In order to com- 
ply with these different principles the plan of study has 
been divided into two great sections, the program of 
the primary school proper and of the superior primary 
school. 

The program of the primary school proper is obliga- 
tory throughout, and embraces three successive courses 
or grades of two years or more each. In schools 
where the attendance is regular the first or elementary 
grade will include, as a rule, children of from 6 to 8 
years of age; the second, children of 8 to lO; and the 
third, those from 10 to 12 years of age. It is not the 
intention of the government to prescribe in an absolute 
way the precise time to be devoted to studying the 
subjects assigned to each grade. It contents itself 
with requiring that these three great stages of school 
life should be clearly marked in each school, and it 
is also convinced that the majority of children will be 
able to pass them without too much effort between the 
ages of 6 and 12, and very easily between 6 and 13, or 
6 and 14 years of age. 

It belongs to the inspectors, the communal govern- 
ments, and the teachers to adapt the program to the 
needs of each locality by distributing the subjects of 

3 



34 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

study among the different school years and divisions and 
by selecting the points which will only be treated sum- 
marily and those which, according to the longer or 
shorter time at the disposal of the teachers, can be 
studied more deeply. 

The superior primary school can only be established 
by virtue of the same decree. It will be opened for 
children of at least twelve years of age who have finished 
the studies of the third grade of the primary school. 
Instruction in each of these schools will be given by one, 
and if necessary, two special teachers. The superior 
primary schools will offer great advantages to the large 
rural or industrial communes which have no secondary 
state schools. They will continue the general education 
of the young, furnish preparatory training for an agri- 
cultural or professional career, and diffuse among the 
population, by an extension of knowledge, a taste for 
observation and for intellectual pleasures. 

Communes which cannot organize a complete superior 
primary school, may add to the obligatory program of 
the ordinary primary school one or more of the subjects 
of study of the superior primary school, in accordance 
with the regulations of the above mentioned royal decree, 
such studies to be pursued only by pupils of at least 12 
years of age. In the interest of the scholars, care will 
be taken that the number of studies thus added shall be 
as restricted as possible. 

As formulated, the program of primary education, 
with the extensions it may receive, embraces four con- 
centric circles, gradually widening, each of which em- 
braces all the subjects of study. These four progressive 
courses, the first three of which are obligatory, are char- 



The Course of Study. 35 

acterized by being at once independent and connected, 
each forming a whole in itself and yet being comple- 
mented by the others. The system adopted, so emi- 
nently suited to the simultaneous development of all the 
faculties of a child, also has the advantage of correspond- 
ing in its first three courses to the present classification 
of scholars into the lower, middle and superior divis- 
ions, and is adapted at the same time to the needs of chil- 
dren who leave school without having finished a full 
course of primary studies." 

The program also gives an extensive outline of the 
province of the teacher with respect to morals, and 
school hygiene. Space will not permit its insertion at 
this place. 

• We quote from "Circular of Information" No. 6, 1884. 
Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C, the following 
concerning primary schools in France. 

"Education in public primary schools is free. 

The pedagogical organization of the primary schools 
and the plan of studies to be followed in them have 
been regulated and determined by the minute of July 27, 
1882. 

Primary instruction is divided into three courses: 
(i) elementary, lasting two years, for children aged 7 to 
9; (2) intermediate (cours moyen), lasting two years, for 
children aged 9 to i i ; (3) superior, lasting two years, 
for children from 11 to 13 years of age. 

The departmental council fixes the regulations of the 
schools in each department from the general instructions 
of the official regulations decided on by the education 
minister with the assent of the conseil superieur. 

In each course the children must receive a threefold 



36 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

training, consisting of (i) physical education; (2) intel- 
lectual education; (3) moral education. The ordinary 
obligatory curriculum of intellectual instruction com- 
prises reading, writing, arithmetic, the elements of the 
natural sciences, geography, history of France, drawing 
and music, and is strictly carried out in all the town 
schools and in many of the country ones. Some of the 
schools have cabinets of minerals, botanical specimens, 
science and art museums, and nearly all possess graphic 
illustrations of physical and political geography, raw 
materials and manufactured products. 

The whole of the instruction in a class or division, as 
the case may be, is generally conducted in a separate 
room. The hours of instruction are from 8 A. M. to 4 
P. M., with one and a half hours' interval at noon, and 
an hour from 4 to 5 for gymnastics. The same master 
gives all the lessons to a class, except music, gymnas- 
tics, and occasionally drawing in the male, and needle- 
work in the female schools. Pupil teachers, as assist- 
ants, are permitted bylaw, but the employment of them 
has been generally discontinued. 

In many of the large cities the children take their 
dinners in the school. In some cases a kitchen is pro- 
vided and the whole or a portion of the cost of prepar- 
ing food is borne by the school authorities. In the 
poorer districts of Paris a portion of the cost even of 
the food itself is defrayed by the municipality, and in 
extreme cases the authorities provide boots and clothing 
for the children on the recommendation of the master. 

Corporal punishment is strictl}^ forbidden in French 
schools of every grade. 

Primary instruction is compulsory for children of both 



The Course of Study. 37 

sexes, including the blind and deaf-mutes, from the 
beginning of the seventh to the end of the thirteenth 
year. 

In every commune, (there are about 36,000 communes 
in France,) besides a school attendance board, there 
must be a school board composed of the mayor,, of 
certain persons to be appointed by the inspector of the 
academic, of the inspector of primary schools of the 
department, and of a number, not exceeding one-third 
of the whole board, of persons elected by the council 
of the commune. (There are special provisions as to 
the composition of this board in the case of Paris and 
Lyons.) 

Children may present themselves for examination for 
the "certiticat d'etudes" at the age of 11, and, on pass- 
ing it, are to be exempted from further compulsory 
primary instruction. 

It will be noted that the primary instruction in the 
rural schools of Belgium, and of France, is under the 
direct supervision and control of the government. This 
is true of Germany, especially Prussia, and many other 
foreign countries. In Prussia the system of inspection 
is intelligent, frequent, constant, responsible, reaching 
every school and every teacher in the country districts, 
as well as those of secondary instruction. The supreme 
authority in all matters of education is vested in a 
minister of education, local supervision in the provin- 
cial authorities, and these in turn have subordinates 
down to the committee of management for each school; 
thus a complete plan of inspection exists, from the ele- 
mentary schools in successive steps through the whole 
course to the normal schools. Having a complete 



38 How to Grade and Teach a CoiDitry School. 

system of inspection and supervision, these countries 
require definite work at the hands of their teachers and 
their pupils; where supervision is most perfect, there is 
required most definite work; where supervision is in its 
infancy, or where there is none, there is the greatest 
want of definite results and of intelligent instruction. 

In the United States we have no national system of 
education; the several states of the Union are left to 
devise their own system of educating their children; 
these systems differ mainly in details, and give to the 
several states an individuality not noted in foreign 
countries; the public schools are established and con- 
trolled entirely by the people through their chosen 
ofificers. 

Since in all cases of intelligent supervision there 
must be something to supervise, those countries having 
the most complete system of supervision, have the most 
perfect arrangement of detailed work, and thus have 
definite objects to be attained, and to be tested by the 
supervising officer. This detailed work to be com- 
pleted in a given time is but a course of study , planned 
and devised by those who have the authority to do so. 
What then is the duty of the supervisor of schools? 
Simply to see that the course of study is faithfully exe- 
cuted, and to attend to its consequent auxiliary duties 
connected with his office. 

With the one to four hundred teachers found in the 
rural schools of a county, there can be no uniform work 
of a practical character accomplished without a uniform 
course of study, or some definite guide to direct the 
several teachers in what to do as well as Jiow much. 
Every teacher must do something, and he will do that 



The Course of Study. 39 

something in a methodical or an unmethodical manner, 
just in proportion to his ideal of the thing to be done, 
or of his knowledge of the subject. 

In order that we may not be understood to assume 
priority in advocating a course of study for county 
schools, we here subjoin extracts from numerous 
sources, and from higher authority, upon the subject in 
hand: 

"The rural schools are thus under the same regulations 
as the city schools, and have the same inspectors, the 
same examinations, teachers from the same training 
colleges, the same resources for money, and the same 
kind of local regulating authority. " — John Eaton, of 
Washington, D. C. 

"When once aspiration is awakened in pupils by a 
consciousness of growing capacities, encouraged by 
generous emulation and frequent promotions, parental 
pride is apt to be quickened pari passn, and thus 
students, put upon the upward-climbing path of pro- 
gress, would have an honorable ambition to ascend to 
the heights of academic training." — Howard Henderson, 
of Kentucky. 

"Intelligent supervision, upon which the established 
superiority of our city and village schools depends, 
should be provided for the township districts just as 
for the city and village districts." — Charles S. Smart, of 
Ohio. 

"Intelligent oversight, from the principal, is a power- 
ful incentive to diligence in study and achievement in 
both the teachers and the pupils. The superintendent 
stands in the same relation to all the grades that a chief 
in a manufacturing establishment does to the separate 



40 How to Grade and Teach a Coitntry School. 

branches of the business, from the nature of the raw 
materials up to the highest production of skilled labor 
and perfect machinery. He is conversant with the end 
in view, from the most elementary work up to the pro- 
duct possible to the educational agents and agencies 
employed. Discipline does its productive work; for 
everything proceeds upon a defined programme of 
daily exercises, requiring punctuality and regularity of 
attendance. " — Henderson. 

The field of labor for each superintendent will be 
large, and his duties arduous; but earnest, enthusiastic 
men overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and 
those with whom they associate become imbued with a 
portion of their spirit. Under the watchful care of 
these men, the sub-district schools would soon begin to 
emulate those of the towns and cities in the struggle 
for excellence. " — J. W. Harvey, of Ohio. 

"During the last four years the matter of a continuous 
course of study for the ungraded or mixed schools of 
this state has received the attention of the leaders of 
educational thought throughout the state. Many 
superintendents and teachers have made practical 
efforts to introduce such a course of study in these 
schools in different parts of the State. — Robert Grahain, 
of Wisconsin. 

"Within a few years much attention has been given to 
the order and conduct of studies in rural schools, and 
in a number of States definite courses of study have 
been adopted and measures taken for enforcing their 

In determining the outline courses, two points must 
be kept in view: first, the branch upon which classifica- 



TJie Course of Study. 41 

tion shall be based; second, the daily program. In 
a graded school the studies are uniform for all the mem- 
bers of the same class. In an ungraded school this 
uniformity is impossible, and some study must be 
selected as the basis for the division into classes. The 
choice is between arithmetic and reading. The latter 
is generally to be preferred, as children differ much less 
with respect to their capacity for reading than for com- 
putation. In arranging the daily program it should 
be remembered that some studies require more time 
than others, and that some are a greater tax upon the 
mind than others. These severer studies should be 
assigned to the hours when the children are freshest and 
brightest, viz: the forenoon and the hour immediately 
following recess. The chief difficulty in classifying un- 
graded schools arises in connection with scholars who 
grade in more than one class. Some authorities object 
to this provision altogether, but those who have the 
true interests of scholars at heart will recognize its 
necessity; the proper ideal of a school is the greatest 
good to the individual consistent with the interests of 
the majority, and under this conception flexible classifi- 
cation must be allowed within reasonable limits." — 
Eatou. 

"They cannot forget that the constant, barren repeti- 
tion of the same studies two, three, and even more 
winters, induces the growth of dreamy and slipshod 
habits of mind, instead of a growing interest in intel- 
lectual activity, and the joyous consciousness of in- 
creasing life and power. Thousands of parents bitterly 
deplore the fact that their listless habits, generated by 
the lack of opportunity to progress, pre-occupy the 



42 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

minds and hearts of their children with unprofitable and 
evil thoughts and desires, and thus to weaken and 
debase their characters, while they minister nothing to 
their intelligence or intellectual ability." — Daniel De Wolf 
of Ohio. 

FROM ILLINOIS SUPERINTENDENTS. 

"I have attempted to introduce a course of study into 
the country schools. It has succeeded beyond my 
expectations. The results in many respects have been 
great." — G. R. Shazvhan. 

"I have not attempted to secure the adoption of a 
course of study in country schools farther than to dis- 
tribute the outlines sent from the state office to the 
districts, and to recommend their adoption. Two or 
three only have adopted a course, and with them it is 
working well. It appears to diminish absenteeism, to 
induce pupils to continue longer in school, and to in- 
crease the interest of parents. " — 5. B. Hood. 

"An outline of study for ungraded schools has been 
partially introduced into the schools of this county with 
favorable results, and while it has not been thoroughly 
tested, enough is known to warrant its adoption in 
every school of the county." — W. H. Hilyard. 

"In adopting a system of grading for the country 
schools, I have not been as successful as I wish to be. 
Early in the winter of 1884, I issued a circular giving 
an outline of a course of study for the country schools. 
The plan of grading in this circular is based upon the 
outline given in the Macon and Champaign county 
manuals. A system of grading, however good it may 
be, can not be introduced and adopted at once, so long 



The Course of Study, 43 

as the name of county superintendent remains a misno- 
mer. " — F. G. Lohnian. 

"During the institute of last summer, 1883, this matter 
was brought prominently before the teachers of this 
county. The practicability of introducing a systematic 
course of study into the rural districts provoked a gen- 
eral discussion; and it was not without some misgivings 
as to the result, that a goodly number of teachers vol- 
unteered to use the outline of study embraced in cir- 
cular three. The results achieved attest the wisdom of 
the movement. They may be summarized as follows: 
(i) A better system of examinations; (2) regular pro- 
motions; (3) a hearty emulation among the pupils; (4) 
the work as a whole is systematized and made more 
practical. " — J, H. Duncan. 

"In those schools or districts \Vhere a proper course of 
study has been adopted and carried out, the great 
advantage is very evident." — G. B. Stockdale. 

We have adopted a course of study in our country 
schools and review same monthly by written examina- 
tions. 

Its results have been gratifying in every respect. It 
has systematized the work in the school room and aided 
much toward the proper classification of our schools. 
It requires pupils to pursue many important subjects 
frequently neglected. Among these may be mentioned 
language, composition, grammar and the study of U. 
S. history. It requires teachers to teach the subject 
and not the book. The constant reviews require pupils 
to be self-reliant and thorough. It holds teachers as 
well as pupils accountable for the proficiency of their 
work. It renders supervision possible. The monthly 



44 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

examinations being preserved, the superintendent is 
enabled to judge of the regular progress of the school 
and properly estimate the teacher's adaptability to his 
calling. It creates an interest in school work that can 
not otherwise be aroused. By it our good teachers are 
retained and the poor ones discarded. It retains pupils 
in our schools and increases the daily attendance. 

By following a proper course of study, boys and girls 
on leaving our country schools would be able to write a 
good composition, using correct language, giving proper 
attention to capitalization, punctuation, etc. They 
would have a fair knowledge of the common branches, 
such as would fit them for the after duties of life. Those 
who are interested in our schools, and who assist in their 
support, would be thus assured that their interest and 
assistance are duly appreciated, and that the advantages 
of our free school system are fully improved. The effi- 
ciency and usefulness of our schools would be so im- 
proved that the full time of the county superintendent 
(of each county in the state) would be granted for super- 
vision and an assistant or assistants given if necessary, 
to aid in the proper supervision of our schools. The 
office of county superintendent would be put on a basis 
with other county offices, as it should be." — J. Mc- 
Kearnan. 

We might produce an unlimited member of testimo- 
nials in favor of grading the country schools but forbear, 
as we deem the above sufficient to prove the utility of 
introducing a course of study into this department of our 
public school system. What, then, is a graded school? 

Prof. W. H. Wells defines a Graded School as fol- 
lows: 



TJie Course of Study. 45 

"A Graded School is a school in which the pupils are 
divided into classes according to their attainments, and 
in which all the pupils of each class attend to the same 
branches of study at the same time." 

We append two other definitions in support of that of 
Prof. Wells: 

*' AH the pupils in any one class attend to precisely 
the same studies and use the same books. In each room 
there will be a first and a second class, and it is important 
that the identical pupils which constitute the first class 
in one branch should constitute the first class in every 
branch pursued by the class. By this arrangement, 
while one class is reciting, the other is preparing for 
recitation, and an alternating process is kept up through 
the day, affording the pupils ample time to study their 
lessons, and the teacher ample time to instruct each 
class. This is what is meant by a graded and classified 
school." — Ira Divoll, formerly Superintendent of Schools, 
St. Louis. 

"The due classification and grading of the schools is 
but the application to the educational cause of the same 
division of labor that prevails in all well-regulated busi- 
ness establishments, whether mechanical, commercial, 
or otherwise. It is not only the most economical, but 
without it there can be little progress or prosperity." — 
H. C. Hickok, formerly Superintendent of Public Instruc- 
tion of Pennsylvania. 

"No pupil should be advanced from one grade to 
another, till he has first sustained a thorough and satis- 
factory test-examination on all the branches of the grade 
from which he is to be transferred." — Prof. W. H. 
Wells. 



46 How to Grade and TcacJi a Country School. 

"Other things being equal, the closer the classification 
the better the school system. " — H. F. Cozvdery, formerly 
Superintendent of Schools, Sandusky, Ohio. 

"The advantages of the union school arise chiefly from 
the grading. The more perfect, therefore, the grading, 
the more certain and marked will be the success of 
these schools." — jf. M. Gregory, formerly State Super- 
intendent of Schools, Michigan, Regent Illinois Industrial 
University, etc. 

In substance, a graded school is one in which each 
branch has its due share of attention, and in which each 
pupil must have a certain degree of proficiency, and in 
a certain order. If these things are theoretically true, 
what objections can there be to making them practically 
so? 

Admitting, then, that a course of study is necessary 
to the intelligent administration of instruction in our 
common schools, we explain the plan of such course for 
the purpose of having a proper understanding of its 
true import. 

The course of study has been in use from the earliest 
times; not a college or a seminary of learning, from 
the primitive high school to the highest institution of 
learning in the land, that has not had a course of study; 
it is true that some of these courses are hardly worthy 
the name, but in the main they at least show the order 
of taking up the several branches taught, and provide 
for promotions at stated periods; they compel pupils 
having certain attainments to enter certain classes; to 
carry certain per cents in these classes before promo- 
tion, etc. If these points of progress are adhered to so 
closely in the graded schools of our cities, what is there 



TJie Course of Study, 47 

to hinder the application of the same general plan in a 
modified form in the country school? 

Hundreds of men and women have admitted the force 
of the above question, and in the belief that a course of 
study would be beneficial to our rural schools, have 
urged those high in authority to issue such course, with 
a view to the direct application of the principle to the 
ungraded school. School officers, both state and county, 
have issued courses of study containing all the essential 
elements of success, and, all that was needed, with the 
single exception of that which was necessary to enforce 
it, viz: the pi'oper supervising; essentials. 

The author is of the opinion that no course of study, 
no matter how perfect, can be put into universal use 
without some direct means of enforcing its every pro- 
vision; this means need not be the power with, or be- 
hind the throne, but should be with the people, and the 
children themselves. No power in legislation will suc- 
cessfully accomplish this, that does' not recognize the 
people as the judges, and as the executive authority in 
the tests of the products of any state or national school 
system. All attempts at the introduction of a course 
of study into the rural districts without recognizing the 
judgment of the people have thus far been failures. 
State authorities have issued well devised and practical 
courses of study, but there was no means for the peo- 
ple to apply the test, and they died, or fell into disuse; 
county authorities have tried the same thing and have 
failed; then, just in proportion as the people have been 
recognized, have these undertakings succeeded; those 
succeeding best where the decision has been left wholly 
to the judgment of an impartial public, 



48 How to Grade and Teach a Coitntry School. 

A course of study for rural schools, in order to suc- 
ceed, must be made so specific in its detail that the 
children themselves shall know and understand when its 
provisions are not carried out; it must be made so plain . 
and so practical that the masses of the people shall un- 
derstand its most intrinsic workings; it must be so com- 
prehensive in its detail that the mediocre among the 
teachers shall know and comprehend its import; with- 
out all these it must fail. 

Thus it is that the brief course of study, as usually 
published, is not understood by even a majority of the 
teachers; certainly not by the children and by but few 
of the patrons; it can only be understood by having its 
veriest details in the plainest language; hence the abso- 
lute necessity of a complete detailed outline of study to 
agree with the course of study. 

The teacher must know how much he is expected to 
do within a given time, as well as know how to do it. 
(The supposition is that he knows how{f) to do the 
work when he sets out to teach.) The pupil must know 
how much he is expected to do within this given time, 
as well as kjiow{f) how to study. (This last remark is 
based upon the presumption that the teacher shows the 
pupil hozv to study.) The pupil must know when he 
has done this required work, as well as the teacher; the 
parent must know just where the pupil stands in his 
work in order to test the product of the school; know- 
ing this, the public readily recognize inferior or superior 
products, and award the teacher proportionally for his 
services. There can be no mistake concerning this; it 
is both reasonable, and has been definitely proven to be 



The Course of Study. 49 

entirely practicable by the actual application of the 
principle for a term of years. 

We do not make any pretensions to originality in any 
of these theories, but simply reiterate the principles as 
held by others for ages, but intact and in piecemeal, 
until put together and practically applied by practical 
educators in both graded and ungraded schools. The 
whole system is deduced from the experience of others, 
and is not the original product of any one man or wo- 
man, in any sense of the word. 



50 How to Grade and TeacJi a Country School. 



2. CLASSIFICATION 



a. — Primary. 

b. — Intermediate. 

c. — Advanced. 
The object of classification in the organization of a 
school containing but one department, is to establish a 
continuity of successive and progressive work, from year 
to year during the usual school life of the child. The 
order of the studies should be so arranged as to be 
adapted to the healthful development of the child's 
faculties. These several studies have a natural depend- 
ence upon each other and are so related as to strengthen 
his powers for acquiring knowledge, provided they are 
presented in this natural order. Hence a definite object 
of attainment can be presented to the pupils in a given 
course, a fixed amount of work as the minimum can be 
succssfuUy presented to those who are under our care 
as subjects of development. 

With this view of the subject, there must of necessity 
be certain branches of study better suited to pupils 
advanced in school-life, than to the beginner of tender 
years. This must lead to some system of classification; 
this system must meet the wants of the pupil and at the 
same time be adapted to the immediate surroundings of 
the school. 

The most convenient divisions of the mixed or un- 
graded school seems to be that of three divisions, or 
departments. In France these divisions are called 



Classification, 51 

Lower, Middle, and Upper Classes; in Switzerland these 
divisions are called First, Second and Third Groups; in 
Prussia they are called Lower, Middle, and Upper 
Grades; Austria calls the divisions Groups; in the 
United States there has been but little done in this 
direction, but the graded schools call these divisions 
Departments. The term Division seems to be quite 
appropriate and best understood by the rural popula- 
tion, hence we adopt these terms; the term Department 
or Grade seems to carry with it something indicative 
of city school life, and arouses the prejudices of the rural 
inhabitants to a greater extent than the term Division. 
Adopting this term, and following the plan of those 
countries which have given much attention to the sys- 
tematic classification of the schools, we adopt the terms 
Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced Divisions, as 
possibly the most expressive to those who are most con- 
cerned. 

As age cannot be relied upon to indicate the advance- 
ment of the pupil, some other basis of classification 
must be adopted. All attempts to classify under the 
head of tijne, have thus far proved unsatisfactory, and 
have been abandoned sooner or later — the element of 
time, therefore, cannot be the basis of a thorough classi- 
fication. It is believed that the readers afford the best 
basis for present classification in the country school. It 
is necessary to classify from something in common, as 
that which is not common to all would fail to include 
all. Much has been said and much has been written 
upon the subject of classification in the country school, 
but no practical scheme succeeds so well as that of mak- 
ing the reader the basis of classification for all branches 



52 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

of study. It is customary for pupils to read all the way 
through school life, from the time they enter the First 
Reader until they leave the school in the last reader 
used. It is the experience of the writer that thousands 
of our pupils read in the classes as a regular daily exer- 
cise (in the adopted reader) for twice the number of 
years necessary to make them good readers. Where- 
fore the necessity of conning over lessons long after 
they are well understood? When a lesson is thoroughly 
understood, why not pass to another one? But these 
questions will be answered in their proper places. 
Adopting the reader as the basis of classification for the 
country school we proceed to make the necessary Divi- 
sions, viz: Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced. 

A careful study of the classification as adopted in 
all foreign countries, and in our own so far as uniformity 
is concerned, reveals the fact that nearly all concede the 
practicability of dividing the rural school into three 
divisions for the purpose of examinations and promo- 
tions. 

All pupils reading in the First and Second Readers 
should be classed in the Primary Division no matter 
whether they have had all the Number Work, Oral Lan- 
guage, etc., necessary to complete the required course 
or not; — all pupils who read in the Third and Fourth 
Readers should be considered in the Intermediate Divi- 
sion and so ranked in all reports, whether they are 
possessed of the required advancement or not. In other 
words, simply class all in these two readers as belonging 
to the Intermediate Division: — All pupils who read in 
the Fifth Reader, (if there be persons who do not enter 
the regular classes in reading they should be considered 



Classification, 53 

in this division also,) should be classed in the Advanced 

Division, whether they have completed the work of the 

other branches as sekcted for the Intermediate Division 

or not. The classification under this plan would appear 

about as follows, so far as the readers are concerned: 

p . C First Reader. 

^ ( Second Reader. 

Divisions. {^ . ,. ^ C Third Reader. 

Intermediate I ^ .1 t^ 1 

( fourth Reader. 

Advanced <J Fifth Reader. 

Such a scheme begins the classification of the school 
at once; pupils can understand that they are to be classi- 
fied under the division in which their reader falls; many 
of them will not have had the required branches for the 
division in which they belong, however. 

Proceeding upon the above basis for classification, it 
will be necessary to consider the several branches to be 
studied in these divisions; in the Primary Division it is 
often the case that pupils are pushed forward in the 
reader to the neglect of Number Work, Penmanship, Lan- 
guage, or Spelling. Each teacher is left to do as much 
or little of this work as he desires, and having no 
supervising officer to look after him in this division, he 
either works a hobby of a certain branch, to the exclu- 
sion of others, or else he neglects them entirely. The 
writer has found schools in which there was no Num- 
ber Work, but AritJiuietic from the text was attempted, 
in the First and Second Reader classes. He has found 
a large number of schools in which there was no atten- 
tion given to Language, although the readers were well 
adapted to the direct application of foundation princi- 
ples in this much neglected subject. While he is loth 
to admit it, he has found and inspected quite a number 



Primary Division. 



54 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

of rural schools in which the children were absolutely 
forbidden the privilege of using script, and who were 
compelled to print everything copied from the time they 
entered the First Reader until they passed through the 
Third Reader. It should be remembered that pnpils 
as readily learn the use of script as they do the printed 
forms, and that the former is constantly used through 
life, while the latter is seldom if ever used. 

On this basis we then have the following classification 
in this division: 

Reading. 

Number Work, 

Language Work. 

Spelling. 

Penmanship. 

The Penmanship should not be considered as a separate 
class, but the members of this division should be con- 
sidered as belonging in the class in Penmanship that 
should embrace the whole school; that is, the pupils 
should receive instruction in this branch with the whole 
school; the Language Work should be done in connection 
with the Reading; the Spelling should be carried along 
with the reading and taught in connection with that 
branch; thus, there need be no special classes for the 
study of Penmanship, Spelling, and Language, but it 
will be necessary to arrange for time to hear the class in 
Numbers. Hence we may grade to three classes in the 
Primary Division. 

In the Intermediate Division the Number Work begun 
in the Primary Division should be continued through 
the Third Reader, when the study of Arithmetic prop- 
erly begins in the Fourth Reader. Some teachers suc- 
ceed admirably by introducing the text in the Third 



Classification. 5 5 

Reader, but as a rule, pupils will do the most satisfactory 
work by dictation from the teacher, with some good 
Arithmetic as the guide. It is true that such a course 
gives the teacher some extra work and labor as compared 
with the text-book methods usually found in the un- 
graded schools, but such a course gives results directly 
in proportion to the labor expended in giving pupils 
work from the board, from the book, and original prob- 
lems. 

Not more than two classes in Arithmetic should be 
tolerated in this division; in many schools the teacher 
may grade to one; he will be able to have the members 
of the Second and Third Readers unite into one class in 
Numbers, or he may be able to have advanced pupils in 
the Fourth Reader unite with those of the Fifth, thus 
leaving but one in the Fourth, composed of the poorest 
scholars in that class and the best in the Third Reader. 
The speed with which a perfect classification may be 
accomplished, depends upon the good judgment of the 
teacher. Unless he be governed by this one necessary 
quality, he will fail in the proper classification of his 
school. 

The Language Work begun in the readers should be 
continued through the Third Reader with such additional 
work as the teacher may secure from any good course 
in Language. The text should not be placed in the 
hands of the pupil before he reaches the Fourth Reader. 

If a regular Spelling class is desirable it should be 
organized from the Fourth Reader class principally, as 
the speller should not be introduced before reaching this 
point. By taking the best spellers from the Fourth 
Reader and placing them in the advanced class from the 



56 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Fifth Reader, and by placing the best spellers from the 
Third Reader with the poorest in the Fourth Reader, a 
class of beginners may be had in the Spelling-book. 
Strictly speaking, all the words should be spelled as 
found in the readers and other texts; Spelling should be 
made a constant study in connection with all the texts; 
pupils should spell everything as they progress, thus 
obviating the seeming necessity for the speller. 

Penmanship should be taught as a regular general 
exercise in which all take part. 

Oral Geography should begin in the Third Reader; 
the text should be used in the Fourth Reader, but not 
in the Third. This will necessitate the formation of two 
classes in this subject. It is sometimes well to place the 
best scholars from the Second Reader, and the poorest 
from the Fourth Reader into this class; in other words, 
use the same judgment in this classification as in any 
other. 

Primary History of the United States should be 
introduced in the Fourth Reader; to omit the study of 
this branch in one year after he enters the Fifth Reader. 
Permit but one class in this division. 

The classification would appear about as follows in the 
Intermediate Division: 

Reading. 

Arithmetic. 

Language. 

Penmanship. 

Spelling. 

U. S. History. 

Geography. 

In the Advanced Division there should be but one 
reading class as a rule, there are cases where it would be 



Intermediate Division. \ 



Classification. 5!^ 

advisable for pupils to pursue the studies of the Fifth 
Reader Division while in the Fourth Reader, and there 
are cases where it would be well to divide the Fifth 
Reader class into a class of its poorest readers and one 
of its best, thus forming two classes. It is usually best 
to place the best readers from the Fourth Reader into 
the Fifth Reader class and in like manner divide the 
Third Reader, thus being able to abandon one class for 
a time. This should be but temporary, and can be best 
accomplished where the school is able to secure supple- 
mentary reading. At any rate by judicious manage- 
ment, the teacher may be able to reduce his number of 
classes to the minimum in some way. 

There should be but one Spelling class in this division 
as indicated in the Intermediate Division. In many 
schools where the gradation is good, the pupils in the 
Fifth Reader may take the work outlined for the Inter- 
mediate Division and thus have but one class in the 
speller. In many schools the patrons will acquiesce in a 
practical classification in which Spelling is governed by 
the reading of the pupil from the text, together with the 
dictionary work so necessary to intelligent work in this 
branch. 

The remarks concerning Penmanship in the Interme- 
diate, and the Primary Divisions are equally applicable 
in this division — the whole school should be classed 
together. 

But one class should be permitted in Arithmetic in 
this division; this class should take up the subject 
where the Intermediate Division leave it; by such a 
course there can be but three classes irf the practical 
arthmetic, and in many cases there will be no necessity 



SB Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

of more than two. The preceding remarks are based 
upon the supposition that a "Higher Arithmetic" is not 
in use in the ungraded school. While this book may 
have its place in the high school or the academy, it 
certainly is out of place in the average country school 
for any purpose other than a reference work, or for 
private use. 

In Geography but one class is needed; no matter 
whether there be a uniformity of texts or not, pupils 
may be so classified that but one is needed. The work 
in this branch should be thoroughly and carefully done 
in the Intermediate Division in order that the pupil 
may complete the outlined work in one year after he 
enters the Advanced Division, thus making a complete 
course of two years in the text- book proper. 

But one class in technical Grammar is needed in the 
ungraded school. As usually taught this is one too 
many, since it is of little practical value in its applica- 
tion. The study of Grammar as a science is necessary 
and appropriate in the high school course, but certainly 
does not belong in the ungraded school. But, owing to 
the fact, that it is found in these schools, and also to 
the fact that we must teach it according to the provi- 
sions of our school law, it must be met in the most 
practicable manner. 

Then one class in the Language book, and one in 
technical Grammar is all sufficient; the Language book 
being introduced in the Fourth Reader grade, prepares 
the pupil for much written work in the Grammar class. 
By so doing the composition begun in the Language 
class may be tontinued and practically applied in the 
Grammar class. 



Classification. 



59 



Classifica- 'S 

TION OF THE rt 

School. | 



Interme- 
diate. 



But oiie class is needed in United States History to 
complete the course in this branch. The year's study 
done in the Fourth Reader prepares the pupil for active 
Work in this grade, and makes history a delightful study 
for pupils of this division. 

A summary of the classification in a well regulated 

school would appear about as follows: 

p . C Two Reading Classes. 

Frimary. ^ q^^ Number Class. 

"Two Reading Classes. 

Two Arithmetic Classes. 

One Language Class. 

One Spelling Class. 

One History Class. 
I^Two Geography Classes. 

One Reading Class. 

One Arithmetic Class. 

One Grammar Class. 

One Geography Class. 

One History Class. 

One Spelling Class. 

The preceding is but the general plan of classification 
as adopted by those counties most closely graded, and one 
which is very nearly satisfactory. Special objections to 
this plan will be met at the appropriate place. 



Advanced.' 



6o How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



3. REGULAR EXAMINATIONS. 



That there are objections to regular examinations 
there can be no question; that these objections are 
valid in many cases, there can be no denial; but that 
examinations are of no value, cannot be clearly shown. 

Everything in business life is estimated by some test; 
this test may not be termed an examination, but it is 
nothing more or less than such, no matter whether it 
be so termed or not. It has been said that the teacher 
knows the exact standing of every pupil under his 
charge, that he is capable of judging as to the promo- 
tion of the pupil, that examinations are useless for these 
and other reasons. This is true to a certain extent, 
especially in the city, or graded school; how is it in the 
rural school? In the graded school the teacher has the 
test of the course of study as interpreted by the super- 
intendent; in the country school, as a rule, we have no 
such test. But with this test does the superintendent 
risk the promotion of the pupil to the high school with- 
out some fixed standard? If the pupil is not subjected 
to some periodical test in the shape of an examination, 
does it follow that he is free from it in his daily recita- 
tion, or in his "Friday Reviews?" That test which is 
applied all along the line from the day that he enters 
school until its close is the best; but is such a test 
uniform for even a city? No one will for an instant 
claim that the test of one teacher will be that of 



Regular Examinations. 6 1 

another; there must, then, be as many degrees in the 
test from the teachers of a county as there are teachers, 
since, if left alone, they will make or unmake a course 
of study. In other words, the test for promotion given 
by one teacher is very different from that given by 
another. 

Why, then, do we have these tests? 

We quote as follows from A. G. Jennings, Hingham, 
Mass. : "First, to help the scholars. A carefully pre- 
pared list of test questions will frequently bring up 
practical subjects which have perhaps been neglected or 
overlooked. Scholars go from their written test exer- 
cises to their books with greater interest than ever 
before, and those questions not answered in the examin- 
ation are afterw^ards made familiar by careful investiga- 
tion. There is one advantage, also, in having questions 
submitted by some one beside the teacher. Scholars 
grow familiar with the style of their regular instructor, 
and can answer his questions, when they are confused 
if the same questions are submitted by a stranger." 

R. I. Perkins, of Boston, writes as follows: "There 
is a powerful incentive to master any subject about 
which it is certain that one will be questioned, and must 
have something to say. The larger proportion of the 
studying that is done, whether by the young at school, 
or by men in professional life, is prompted by this incen- 
tive. The expectation of speaking on the subject gen- 
erally relates to some definite time, as with the lawyer 
preparing his briefs for the court room, or the clergy- 
man in writing his sermons. So with the student at 
school. He feels that at his recitation he will be called 
upon to say something on the subject he is studying, 



62 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

and this spurs him to diligence in learning as much as 
possible about it. Nor is it true that such knowledge 
'passes out of the mind' more quickly than that 
acquired without that incentive. Still, if the student 
feels that the acquirement is merely for that occasion, 
and does not view it as adding to the general store of 
information that will be wanted for all occasions, it will 
undoubtedly prove of less value to him, and be sooner 
forgotten. " 

Anna C. Brackett, of Neiv York, says: "The more 
we consider the subject of examinations, the more do 
we discover that its roots run down to the basis of edu- 
cational science itself, and that it is by no means a light 
question we are asking when we say, * What is the 
tendency and value of examinations, and what, in a 
philosophical system of education, is their province?' " 

Many other good authorities might be quoted, giving 
valid reasons for holding examinations, but space will 
not admit. A careful research among these authorities 
clearly proves a preponderance of evidence in favor of 
examinations in the city schools. A certain work is 
given the children to perform in a certain time, and as 
a means of knowing how well it is done, the superin- 
tendent furnishes uniform questions to his several 
teachers; these are in turn submitted to the pupils, and 
the result of the test reported to the superintendent. 

School examinations should show the systematic 
arrangement of the regular work of the pupil, or cer- 
tain portions of it at stated times. As it is impossible 
to show all the work even in the city, it cannot be the 
best plan to attempt to do this in the country. Acting 
upon the conviction that the patron should know the 



Regular Examinations. 63 

standing of his children, that the pupil should know his 
absolute as well as his relative standing, and that the 
superintendent should know of the ability of his 
teachers to carry out his commands, or to follow the 
course of study for a given time, we briefly outline the 
plan of examinations that has proved the most satis- 
factory in the supervision of the county. 

Teachers' examinations are held monthly and in the 
following manner: The superintendent prepares the 
questions and is limited in this work by the provisions 
of the outline; that is, he is pledged not to prepare 
questions whose answers would require a knowledge of 
the text beyond the month's work. No one except the 
printer and the superintendent are supposed to know 
the contents of the examinations; when printed, the 
superintendent seals one set of each within a properly 
labeled envelope and places it into the hands of the 
teacher. 

h. fac simile of such envelope is here shown: 



TO BK OPENED ONLY BY 

THE COMMITTEE, 

—ON THE— 

Bd Friday of Nov. 



64 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

In order to prevent any irregularity in the opening ol 
the envelope, the school should select a committee oj 
thi'ee to open it upon the third Friday as agreed upon. 
This committee should be chosen on the previous day, 
in order that there may be no delay in selecting it on 
examination day. This committee should be selected 
by requiring nominations from each of the three Divi- 
sions, thus representing the whole school. 

On the morning of the examination, promptly at 9 
a. m., or sooner if possible, the school should be called 
to order and the envelope opened in the presence of the 
school; it is well for one of the members to take the 
envelope, examine the seals, pass it to another, and he 
in turn to the third member, who may break the seal; 
this committee should then sign the certificate attached 
to the questions and hand the sheet to the teacher. 

A copy of the examinations for the month of Octo- 
ber, 1884, as used in the counties of Macon, Piatt, 
Champaign, Will, Sangamon, Morgan, and several oth- 
ers in Illinois, is here presented: 

OCTOBER, 1884.— ADVANCED. 

Orthography. — i. Define word, letter, vowel, 
syllable, consonant. 

2. Give rule for final e followed by vowel, (in form- 
ing derivatives.) Give example. 

3. Make list of words under rule two in the Manual. 

4. Able or idle = that zvhich may or can be. Add 
able or ible to sale, fuse, pass, force, trace, change, 
tame, erase, move, charge. 

5. Ditto: read, ford, rise, observe, impose, divide, 
fall, receive, teach, tax. 



Regular Examinations. 6$ 

Penmanship. — i. Same as intermediate. 

Arithmetic. — i. What is a simple fraction? A 
mixed number? A fraction? A period of numbers? 
Division? 

2. What is the cost of 3,000 1^ ft)S of wool at $0.37? 

3. A bushel contains 2,1503^ cubic inches; how 
many such inches in this room? (Teacher give dimen- 
sions.) 

4. If 20 per cent, of $8.75 be spent for corn at 25 
cents per bushel, how many bushels will it purchase? 

5. Teacher supply. 

Grammar. — i. What is declension? 

2. Decline lady, child, ox, dog, rat. 

3. Write the properties of nouns in a neat brace 
form. 

4. How is the possessive singular always formed? 
Give good examples. 

5. Parse the nouns: "James's book contains the 
outlines." "The careful student can do the work of the 
Manual very easily. " (Teacher may add to this if he 
desires.) 

United States History. — i. Tell about Balboa's 
discovery. 2. What part of the United States did 
each of the nations claim? Did we have a United 
States then? 3. Tell about Captain Smith and the 
Jamestown settlement. 4. Name the principal Eng- 
lish explorers. 5. Tell all you can about the Indians. 
(Their habits, manners, and customs.) 

Geography. — i. Bound Europe. Has it a capital? 
Why, or why not? 2. Locate Ural Mountains, Lon- 
don, Danube River, Candia Island, the Crimea. 3. Why 
is the climate of England so mild? Of Lapland so frigid? 

\ 



66 How to Grade and Teach a Country School . 

4. Name eight seas of Europe. 5. Peninsulas. 6. 

Name states (U. S.) bordering on the Atlantic Ocean. 
Reading. — Teacher to select a short stanza and have 

^n^pWs paraph /-a se it. 

Pupils may write about Longfellow next examination 
We opened the envelope at a. m. and found the 

seals 



1 
I 
y Committee. 



School, Oct 1 884. 

N. B. — Questions for next month will be ready the 
first Saturday in November. If you cannot come for 
them by the second Saturday, send by some one from 
your district for them. 

You are invited to our teachers' meeting at each ses- 
sion. 

OCTOBER, 1884. 
PRIMARY — FIRST AND SECOND READERS. 

Spelling and Reading. — i. Teacher select a page 
from the reader, (in each class,) and require the pupil to 
make a list of all words beginning with the letter a. 

2. Teacher select ten words from these pp. and pro- 
nounce to pupils. If the pupils cannot write, spell 
orally. All sjtcJi should zurite by November examination. 

3. Spell cat, dog, rat, ox, my, sun, tub, ran, fly, 
set. (First Reader.) 

Spell desk, chair, book, slate, chart, maps, stove, 
bell, chalk, Jane. (Second Reader.") 



Regular Examinations. 6'J 

4. Write the names of five boys. ) ^^^^^ ^^^^^ 

5. Write the names of five girls. > 
Penmanship. — If you have not already filed your 

specimen of Penmanship, take the "Lines for October" 
as a specimen. It would be well to take the specimens 
for each month at some time previous to the examination . 
Number Work. — Write the number two, in three 
different ways. 

2. Write X in three ways. Write 11 tops in three 
ways. 

3. 3 + 2=? 2 + 3 = ? 3 — 2==? 4 + 2=? 4 — 2 = ? 
2x3=? 3X2=r? 2x4=? 4 — 2=? 5+2=? 

4. Read 3— 2=^1. V + 2=VII. 3+4=VII. 6-4-2= 
III. 6-4-3=2. 10 cents-r-2=:5 cents. iO-4-2=V. 9 
cents — 5 cents=:4 cents. XX^X=2. 12 days-h2= 
6 days. 

5. Write ^, >^, i^, 1-5, 1-6, 1-7, ^, 1-9, i-io, J^. 
Follow the Manual carefully and use any late arith- 
metic for new problems. 

Language. — Select five directions from exercise i, 
page 12 of "How to Speak and Write." 

If you have neglected to secure the ''Teacher's 
Edition," you should do so no longer. 

INTERMEDIATE — THIRD AND FOURTH READER. 

Oral Geography. — Where does the sun rise? 
Where does it set? 

2. Which way is your home? 

3. Is the world flat? Is the sun larger or smaller 
than the earth? 

4. In what state do you live? 

5. Draw plat of neighborhood so far as known to 
pupil. 



68 How to Grade and Teach a Country ScJioot. 

Text-book Geography. — i. Take Manual and 
write complete outline for Illinois, as for Maine in the 
November work. 

2. Name the metropolis, capital, county seat, normal 
schools, university, penitentiaries, "Gem City," "Garden 
City." 

3. Give length and breadth of state. 

4. Define city, river; source, mouth, right and left 
bank of river. 

Name some railroad in the county. 
Language. — Write your surname. Your Christian 
name. Your full name. 

2. Write a statement about yourself and playmate. 

3. Write a statement about something in your desk. 

4. Write a statement of a place you have seen. 

5. Write a statement of something found in the sea. 

6. Teacher select from page 19, five blanks to be filled. 
Arithmetic. — Write 20 tens, 90 tens. 

2. Copy and read, 20304, 17042. 

3. What is addition? Subtraction? 

4. Add 372, 846, 975 and 27. 

5. Divide 4,876 by 23. Multiply the quotient by 23. 
United States History. — Take the book used 

and make up a set of questions limited to page 37 in 
extent. 

Penmanship. — i. Write the short letters. 2. 
Write the word mamma, five times. 3. Write a 
couplet of poetry, (selected by teacher.) Insist upon 
specimen work from pupils in all of the above. 

Spelling. — i. Write five names that shall repre- 
sent fruits. 2. Five that shall represent tools. 3. 
Five that shall represent occupations. 4. Five that 



Regular Examinations. 69 

shall represent household names, (as father, &c.) 5, 
Five words of two syllables that shall contain long a. 

Reading. — Select a short stanza, or paragraph, that 
you admire, copy it and tell why you admire it. 

The teacher takes the questions, places them upon 
the board, and the children answer thjm in writing. 
This is called the Teacher's Examination, as he is in 
charge of it, although he does not assist in the prepara- 
tion of the questions; he grades the papers, records the 
grades, reports to the parents, and has full charge of it. 

It will be noticed that such a plan will secure uni- 
formity of questions for the whole county, the envel- 
opes will all be opened in the same manner and at the 
same time; this then, is the first step toward securing 
uniform results. 

These examinations are usually held during the 
months of October, November, December, January, 
and February; thus making a series of five successive 
monthly examinations. For the Spring and Summer 
months it has been customary for the teacher to make 
his own questions, but there is no good reason why the 
schools should not be furnished examinations for at 
least seven months in the year. 

The Superintendent's Examinations are those held at 
the Central School of a township or group of schools 
and the Final Examination at the county seat. 

For the purpose of convenience the county should 
be grouped into schools of five to eight in number, 
with a centrally located school house in the centre; 
this is usually termed the Central School and is so 
called from its location; at this school, those pupils 
from the several schools of the group, having pursued 



70 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

the seven common branches, (those classed by the law 
as common school branches,) and recommended by the 
teacher as able to take a fair examination upon the 
branches pursued. No pupil should be admitted to 
this examination, unless he has studied all of the 
branches required. 

The superintendent holds this examination upon his 
own responsibility and reports to the pupils in the 
shape of a certificate of rank in class. 

It will be noted that he simply tests the ability of 
.the teacher to advance his pupils under the require- 
ments of the course of study. In other words, he com- 
pares the work of one school with that of others in the 
same group. 

As many of the patrons are present, it gives a good 
opportunity to explain any feature of the work not 
likely to be understood; it also gives the spectator a 
chance to select the good, or the poor teacher in the 
group, by the product of the pupils' work. That the 
pupil will reproduce that which he has learned in the 
same order and manner that he received, it there can be 
no question. How necessary it is to give him good 
forms and good instruction! 

A Final (Annual) Examination is held during the 
month of March at the County Seat; all pupils who 
have passed the Centrals with averages of eighty-five 
or more are admitted to this contest. New questions 
are given the pupils and they are again examined, 
graded, and ranked. 

A beautiful Certificate of Rank in Class is presented 
each, showing his standing in the county as compared 
with those examined. 



School Records. ^1 



4. SCHOOL RECORDS. 



Under the present routine of school work, no record 
is kept of the progress and standing of the pupil. This 
is wrong; the standing of the pupil should be in some 
permanent form for ready reference, not only for others 
interested, but for the inspection of the pupil himself. 

Under the plan of work here recommended for the 
county, three records are necessary to keep a complete 
exhibit of the pupil's progress from the time he enters 
the ungraded school until he leaves it, viz: the record 
kept by the teacher, and those kept by the county 
superintendent. 

The teacher's record should show the pupil's grades 
for the monthly examinations in connection with his 
daily attendance. Here is a form in common use in 
those schools holding regular examinations; it will not 
be long until a proper record for preserving the grades 
made in the examinations will be furnished by the 
county, or by the district. Until such time the follow- 
ing plan is recommended: The teacher will enter the 
names of all his pupils on another page of the register, 
and the names of the branches pursued over the terms 
"Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri." Under these 
branches he can enter the averages made on examina- 
tion, and in an extra column give the general average. 
Teachers will thus find that a page will hold the record 
for a year, and will appear thus: 



72 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



(MONTH HERE.) 



NAME HERE. 









t5 




J 


r 


■Q 

s 


55 


1 



1. Joiin Tyler 

John A"dams.... 

(;. A. Arthur 

James K. Polk. 

A. Jackson 

Anna Symmes.. 



14 


92 


88 


75 


70 


80 


75 


90 


8 


85 


8.5 


90 


70 








18 


95 


92 


75 


96 


82 


68 


90 


16 


91 


911 


96 


88 


75 


80 


95 


10 


60 


70 


90 


95 








6 


75 


80 


90 


75 









81 3-7 

82 1-2 
84 3-7 
89 3-7 
78 3-4 
80 



By simply repeating the same names of branches, the 
next month will be carried forward seven spaces, and 
so on to the close of the year. If your school is large 
it will be well to ask some member of the school to 
copy the grades for you. At least, leave some record 
of the progress and standing of your pupils for the 
inspection of interested parties. 

The above shows both the daily attendance, and the 
grades for the monthly examinations; thus the record 
takes the place of the daily register, and at the same 
time requires but little work to complete the pupil's 
record of examinations for the month. 

(In cases where the record is not furnished by the 
district, the teacher may readily improvise a permanent 
record by simply writing the names of the branches 
pursued over the names of the days of the week for 
the appropriate spaces in the regular register of daily 
attendance.) 

For the record of the Central Examinations, the 
superintendent should carry with him a properly ruled 
book in which he should enter the name of every pupil, 
his age, his grades, rank in class, average, name of the 
school from which he comes, his teacher's name, etc.; 
in fact, this record should show any or all items of 



School Records. 



n 



interest connected with his work. The following is a 
satisfactory form: 

Record of Central Examination held at , 



This record should be kept at the county superintend- 
ent's office and should be open to the inspection of the 
interested public. 

The record of Final Examination should show pre- 
cisely the same items as that of the Central; one form 
may answer the purpose of both records. It should be 
neatly and accurately kept and open to the inspection 
of the. public. 



74 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



5. AWARDS TO PUPILS. 



Those pupils entering the Central Examinations should 
receive a certificate showing their grades, average, rank, 
name of school, and name of the Group of Districts; it 
should be signed by the county superintendent, or 
examiner. 

The following form is in general use: 



Macon County Common Schools. 2 

•^Gertificate of Rank in Glass. -^ 

Rank No in a Class of. I 

It is hereby Certified, that , J 

a pupil in School, Tp. No N., R.. in § 

Macon County, Illinois, has made the following averages for the year 

ending 188 

Orthography, : Reading, ; Penmanship, ; U.S. History. ; 

Arithmetic, ; Geography, ; Eng. Grammar .; Average 

and that — is entitled to the above rank in class. 

Central Examination at 

Co. Sup't Schools. 



Azvards to Pupils. 75 

Pupils readily understand that their rank in the Group 
(Great District) depends upon their general average; 
this is a strong lever for the teacher if properly used. 
If correctly used it affords the strongest possible incen- 
tive to the pupil for better work. 

The Final Examination should be represented by 
a certificate more elaborate in detail, and should be 
suitable for framing. It should show the same items 
as that used at the Central, and in addition, the teacher 
should sign it, as well as the superintendent. 



']6 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchooU 



6, CARE OF EXAMINATIONS. 



The Monthly Examinations should be upon uniform 
paper and should be neatly and carefully bound in a 
systematic manner. After the papers are graded they 
should be carefully arranged by Divisions and in the fol- 
lowing order: Penmanship, Spelling, Arithmetic, Geog- 
raphy, Grammar, United States History, and Miscel- 
laneous; these papers should be placed in the order of 
their excellence, and when this is done the printed ques- 
tions, together with the certificate of the committee, 
should be placed upon the face of it, and over all, a neat 
manilla cover should be secured by the brass paper 
fastener. When all this is done the book should be 
properly labelled in ink, and kept at the teacher's desk 
for a time; pupils will desire to inspect it; the attention 
of the visitor should be called to it; directors should 
examine it; and the superintendent should study it. 

The Monthly Examinations in book form should be 
filed at the school and should be considered the prop- 
erty of the district. A cabinet of some kind should 
be devised for the purpose of a receptacle for these 
examinations, provided there is no room within the 
teacher's desk. A very simple cabinet may be devised 
from a cracker box, or one similar in form, as shown by 
this diagram: — 



Care of Examinations, 



77 



1881 


1884 


1882 


1885 


1883 


1886 


Pens, Pencils, Ink, etc. 


Miscellaneous Work. 


Examination Paper. 


Reference Books. 



Over the face of this a door of some kind should be 
secured in order to protect the contents from the dust. 
The writer has seen such contrivances covered with a 
piece of calico, and nicely fastened below by tying a 
ribbon at the corners. 

The Central Examination paper should be neatly 
arranged by the examiner and bound in the same man- 
ner as the Monthlies; these should be kept on file at the 
county office and ever be open to the inspection of the 
public. 

The Final Examinations should be arranged and 
bound as those of the Centrals. These represent the 
best work of the county and should be given a conspic- 
uous place in the examiner's office. 



78 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



7. ANNUAL EXERCISES. 



Annual Exercises of some kind may be profitably 
held at both the Central, and the Final Examinations. 
In many counties the evening of the Central is spent 
in holding an entertainment consisting of songs from 
the various schools, readings from members of the sev- 
eral schools, essays, declamations, etc. The superin- 
tendent usually talks for a short time upon some topic 
of interest concerning the schools of the county. (The 
best talks are those explanatory of the kind of work 
needed.) A trustee, treasurer, school director, or 
some one who has ability to talk should be enlisted to 
say something in the cause of education. 

Many counties do not have general or special exer- 
cises at the Finals; it is believed to have a good effect 
upon the public generally, to have something of a lit- 
erary character, to entertain those examined and the 
visitors for an hour. A reading by one of the pupils 
followed by a lively address from some good speaker 
has a tendency to popularize the system of common 
school education, and encourage those who are to be 
taught. 



Reports of Teachers^ etc* 79 



8. REPORTS OF TEACHERS, ETC. 



After holding the Monthly Examination the teacher 
should report the standing of each pupil to its parents 
or guardian. Parents soon learn to look for the monthly 
grades of their children and become interested in their 
advancement as well as the children themselves. It 
costs but little labor to make these reports, since the 
grades are already upon the daily register. In large 
rural schools where the teacher finds such a course en- 
croaching upon his time, he may permit some good pen- 
man from the school to copy them for him, thus ena- 
bling all to profit by the record. 

Parents certainly have the right to know of the prog- 
ress and standing of their children at any and all times. 
It is right that this should be encouraged, since it wields 
a powerful influence for good. 

The form commonly used is as follows: 



8o How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



Macon County Common Schools, 



Superintendent's Examination. 



The following are the Grades and (Rank 
in Class of 

for the month ending the third Friday 
of. 188...^ 

Grade. Bank in Class. 

Reading, - - 

Spelling, - - - 

Penmanship, - 

Arithmetic, - - 

Geography, - - 

Grammar, - - 

U. S. History, - 

Physiology, - • 

Botany, - - 

Zoology, - - - 

Nat. Philosophy, - 



Average, - - 

No. minutes lost by Tardiness, 

100 is perfect ; 75, medium ; 50, poor; below this, very poor. 

Teacher. 



Reports of Teachers y etc. 81 

It will be noted that the report shows the pupil's rank 
in class for each branch. This one point is well worth 
the cost of time for its showing, as it is a means of en- 
couraging the pupil to raise his rank if possible, thus 
developing the talent of the young learner and placing 
a definite object before him for attainment. Pupils 
will very readily understand that rank one is above rank 
two; that tJiree is above four^ etc. By all means report 
the pupil's monthly examinations. 

In many counties a monthly report from the teacher is 
required. Where this is done, it should be short and 
easily made, as the teacher will have but little time to 
devote to it, and the superintendent but little to study 
it. The following is a fac siinile of postal card report; 
it was furnished by the county and enclosed with the 
sealed examinations: 



82 How to Grade aiui Teach a Country School. 



Report of . . Ocean Wave . . . School for the month 

ending the Third Friday of October, 1883 

No. Enrolled ^(; No. Present to-day 32 

No, Examhied 21 No. Absent 8 

No. Tardy to-day . . . .0 No. Visitors present .... 

The folio wing named directors visited lis during 

the month, Mr. Samuel Wise 

No. of visitors during month 2 

PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. 

No. in class. No. in class. 

First Reader 7 Numbers 18 

Second Reader ."> Spelling 6 

Penmanship 8 No. of minutes lost by 

tardiness 15 

INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT. 

Third Reader 5 Geography 7 

Fourth Reader 4 History 7 

Arithmetic ,9 Language 7 

Penmanship 12 Spelling 11 

No, of minutes lost by tardiness 10 

GRAMMAR DEPARTMENT. 

Fifth Reader 1!) Grammar 8 

Arithmetic 8 Geography 10 

U. S. History 9 Spelling 12 

Penmanship 20 Science, Physiology . . 1 

No. minutes lost by tardiness 65 

Total No. minutes lost 90 

Remarks: — The recent storms have affected my 
attendance. Come and visit us soon. 



Teacher 



This report is of great value to the superintendent in 
determining the classification of the school, as well as 
the attendance; the following analysis of the card clearly 
shows this; 



Reports of Teachers, etc, 83 

PRIMARY DIVISION. 

Twelve are reported as reading in this Division but there 
are but eight reported in penmanship; query, where are 
t\\Q four missing ones? We go to the Intermediate Divi- 
sion and find three o{\.\\Qm\ where is \.\\q fourth} We pass 
to the Advanced Division and find twenty reported in 
penmanship while there are but nineteen in the division, 
thus all are found in penmanship in this school. ( Tivelve 
should have been reported in the Primary Division, 
Nine in the Intermediate and Nineteen in the Advanced ) 
Eighteen are reported in numbers in this Division 
while there are but twelve in it. What is the trouble? 
The Intermediate arithmetic is full, but there are eleven 
missing in the Advanced (Grammar) Division. There 
are five more reported in numbers and arithmetic than 
there are persons in the readers. TJie teacher must 
explain. 

In spelling there are six less than there should be in 
the Primary Division, tiuo more in the Intermediate and 
seve7i. less in the Advanced Division, thus making eleven 
not accounted for in this branch alone. The teacher 
must explain. 

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION. 

In this Division there are tzvo missing in geography, 
and nine in the Advanced Division; where are they ? 

In United States history there are three more than 
in the Fourth Reader, and ten less in the Advanced 
Division, making a difference of seven to be accounted 
for. 

In grammar (Language) there are three more in the 
Intermediate Division than are required, eleven less in 
the Advanced; where are the missing eight ? 



84 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Other branches have been noticed. 

The Primary Division lost^7^^more minutes by tardi- 
ness, during the month, than the Intermediate, and one 
hour less than the Advanced; the Intermediate Xo'^X. five 
minutes less than the Primary, and fifty-five less than 
the Advanced; this Division lost fifty more than the 
Primary, and fifty-five more than the Intermediate. 

Is not this a lever for good if rightly applied ? Does 
not the superintendent know the classification of any 
school at a glance ? The teacher knowing what is 
required, will certainly make an effort to secure the 
required classification. 

Does he not have an incentive to lessen tardiness in 
showing the school which division is losing most by this 
evil ? Is there not a chance for healthful emulation ? 

By taking these cards for the whole county the super- 
intendent may show the classification for the county by 
simply taking totals and comparing as in above exam- 
ple. 

Many superintendents are in the habit of reporting 
any, or all official visits to the board of directors; this 
is right, and if judiciously managed is certainly produc- 
tive of much good. The Directors should know just 
what the superintendent sees in the workings of the 
school, for good or bad. He is certainly more compe- 
tent to see the good and bad features of a s.chool, than 
the board itself. His practiced eye sees the element 
of success or failure in the surroundings at once. He 
is certainly able to advise as to the right course to pur- 
sue in making needed improvements, not only in the 
immediate control and management of the school, but 
in any necessary repairs. 



Reports of Teachers ^ etc. 85 

In order that we may not be misunderstood in these 
remarks, we append a copy of a report made in 1885: 

"report of visit to SCHOOL." 

"Dist. No. 7, T. . . . ,N. R. . . . ,E Teacher. " 

"Gentlemen; — I visited your school this A. M., and 
beg leave to submit the following report: 

I find the fence around the lot in good condition ex- 
cept a loose board on the east side; it would be well to 
ask your teacher to have one of her larger male pupils 
to nail this fast, as it will soon drop from the post. A 
little care in this direction will keep this lot well fenced 
for many years. 

The walk to the north outhouse needs a little 
work done upon it to keep it in good repair; 
some time when one of you are passing, it would be 
well to take a hammer and half-dozen nails and repair 
it. *A stitch in time saves nine.' 

The outhouse at the northwest is in fearful condition; 
you should see that it is thoroughly cleansed by scrub- 
bing, then make a new seat, put the door upon strap- 
hinges, and close the opening on the east side; one of 
the pillars on the west is settling down and the house is 
following it; it would be well to place a block of wood 
upon this pillar; this will correct matters at this place. 
When this is done you should notify your teacher that 
you will hold him responsible for the care of the out* 
buildings; this will cause him to look after them. 

The house is in good repair externally; the transom 
is nailed up, but 3'our teacher can remove the fastenings 
and use it for ventilation; there is a pane of glass miss- 
ing on the east side; this should be replaced as soon as 



S6 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 

convenient, as cold weather is at hand, and some pupil 
may lose his life by the draft of air setting in from this 
source. 

The walls are clean and the room is well decorated; 
there are a number of instructive pictures upon the 
wall; this speaks well for your teacher. 

The desks are in good condition; the teacher's desk 
is orderly and in good condition. 

The examinations are all neatly bound and in excel- 
lent condition with the exception of the work for last 

May; as Mr. left it in this condition I have 

arranged it and bound it uniform with the others. Your 
present teacher will no doubt bind his last one whether 
he remains or not. 

These examinations show marked improvement all 
along the line, with the possible exception of arithmetic; 
the work in this branch needs to be revolutionized in 
many respects; I have given your teacher full instruc- 
tions on this point, and trust that he will make this 
branch a special study for a time. I find but few errors 
in the arrangement, punctuation, use of capital letters, 
etc. There is quite a contrast between the books of 
last year and those of corresponding months for this 
year, and for the better. 

The classification is excellent except for one grade 
viz: the Fourth Reader class. Your teacher, being a 
^stranger, did not know how to secure books for a pri- 
mary history class, and hence this grade does not have 
enough to do, and as a result gives him some trouble in 
discipline. If they could have the books, this could be 
avoided, and the discipline improved. 

The discipline of the school is a little above the aver- 



Reports of Teachers y etc, 87 

age; the teacher will improve it by doing more written 
work, as suggested in my notes to him. 

Your teacher is a good instructor, but fails to use the 
Manual and Guide in the way most favorable to his best 
interests; if more good blackboard analyses were given 
and more written work required, the results in accuracy 
and in discipline would be improved. I believe your 
teacher will consider these points favorably. 

Upon the whole I believe that your school is doing 
about average work, and that your teacher is willing to 
be helped; he has the 'ability to do good work and I 
think will succeed. 

Trusting that you will visit the school frequently, I 

am, 

Very respectfully, 

, Supt." 

Such is but the average report, and as it had the effect 
to correct the existing troubles, was it not of much 
value? 

Each county should have some system of reports for 
the purpose of correcting any or all irregularities that 
can be reached in this manner. 

Fences, walks, outbuildings, doors, windows, chim- 
neys, desks, floors, pumps, etc., may be improved in 
this way. 

The discipline is often held in check by the certain 
knowledge that the facts are to be reported upon the 
visits of the supervising officer. 

There can be no question as to the utility of making 
official reports of school visits, if judiciously made, and 
in the proper spirit. 



88 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 
9. SCHOOL EXHIBITS. 



In counties where fairs are held, it pays to exhibit the 
school work of the county. It is an easy matter to se- 
cure this where there is anything like system in the ex- 
aminations. The examiner has in his possession all of 
the Central and Final Examinations in book form; these 
are ready for display at all times. As the schools are 
having monthly tests it will be but little trouble to secure 
work from each school in the county; usually that of 
February offers the best representation of the district, 
as the attendance includes all grades at that time. By 
calling for this work the supervisor will have an abund- 
ance of school work for any public exhibit. 

By offering suggestions to his teachers he may be 
able to secure much work of interest in the shape of 
drawings, maps, essays, etc. 

In cases where no fairs are held, there should be some 
attempt to bring the work of the county to the notice 
of the public; this may be done at the Annual Institute, 
or on some public occasion appropriate for such display. 

In this manner much permanent good may be done; 
the interest of the public is easily aroused, and sympa- 
thy for the good in school work secured. 



10. CATALOGUES. 



Much interest is induced by circulating catalogues 
containing names of pupils, schools, etc. Many teach- 
ers have published catalogues of their schools. Children 



Catalogues. 89 

are pleased to see their names in print and will preserve 
them for many years. Especially are these catalogues 
good if they show the relative standing of pupils with 
each other. Here is a copy of a Teacher's Catalogue: 



CATALOGUE OF 



PERU SCHOOL, 



CT. 16, B. 1 E. 3d P. M.) 



MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS 



JOHN H. CULVER, Teacher. 



SCHOOL BOARD: 

N. F. Bbown, Pres. F. H. Coleman, Clk. 

J. E. Hill. 



1883-1885. 



90 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



HISTORY. 

"The first school house in Blue Mound township, 
stood in the timber east of the present frame house 
of Mr. Green Hill, near a fine spring of water. 
Mr. Daniel McCall was the first teacher in 1828, 
(Mr. McCall has the honor of being the first county 
judge, circuit clerk, and county clerk of Macon 
county.) Mr. Wm. Austin, now living, taught 
there in 1832." 

This structure gave place to another in a few years 
which was built about six or eight rods southeast 
of the present site. In 1868 the present frame 
building was erected, and has ever since been found 
amply large enough, being one of the largest coun- 
try school buildings in the county. 

LIST OF EX-TEACHEES. 

Sarah McOHntock, J. W. McClintock, Ann Scott, 
John Cotton, Mary Rose, W. Bradeu, Mr. Leisure, 
F. H. Coleman, John Cnssins, James Cussins, Miss 
Patton, James Jefferson, A. G. Pasley, John 
Trainer, Thos. Odor, Chas. McCHntock, W. I. 
Walker, Willis Smith, C. S. Haines, Sallie Cole- 
man, H. D. Heil, John F. Wicks, John H. Culver. 

"The Teacher" at Peru, for the years 1883, '84, 
and '85, believing that the patrons of the school 
would be interested in knowing the relative stand- 
ing of their children, has issued this catalogue. The 
grades have been taken from the county superin- 
tendent's examinations and from class work, and 
will be found to give a fair knowledge of the pupil's 
standing in his studies. 

Trusting that it may prove one among the many 
school helps, we submit it to the patrons of Peru. 
ADVANCED— 1883-4. '84-5. 

AVERAGE RANK. 
AGE. 1883-4 1884-5 

Blankenship, Homer 20 •»2 83 

Blankenship, Fanny 16 94 94 

Coleman, Robert....'. 18 90 

Coleman, Edgar 16 96 

Ward, Charles 20 93 

Brown, Travis 13 gg 

McMahon, Anna 14 88 

Ward, Dora 14 87 

The above have all taken the Superintendent's Central 
Examination. 



Catalogues, 



9i 



INTERMEDIATE.— 1883-4. 



AGE. 

*Austin, Mary A 16 

*Austin, Wallace 20 

*Brown, Travis 12 

Brown, Frank 15 

Blaukeiiship, Nannie 12 

Falconer, George 15 

Falconer, MoUie 13 

Ferguson, Lucy 16 

*Hill, Frank 18 

*Hill, Anna 14 

*Lynch, Eddie 14 

McMahon, Anna 14 

*Pasley, Robert 13 

Miller, Wm. A 17 

Robison, Eddie 13 

*Stevens, Maud 11 

*Stevens, Lucy 13 

Stevens, Lyraon 15 

Wornick, Harry 12 

Ward, Dora 14 

* Promoted. 



AVERAGE KANK. 


1883-4 


1884-5 


81 


87 


78 


80 


72 


86 


65 




68 


77 


68 


68 


70 


SO 


63 




68 


79 


71 


84 


84 


86 


82 


88 




81 


33 




78 




83 


89 


68 


79 


72 


71 


70 


83 


80 


87 



PRIMARY GRADE. 



AGE. 

*Austin, Frank 13 

*Austin, Willie 10 

Austin, Carrie 6 

*Austin, James 11 

Austin, Lizzie 11 

Austin, Minnie 9 

*Blankenship, Maud 10 

Blankenship, Mac 14 

*Br()wn, Marley 11 

Coleman, Mabel 7 

Edwards, James 7 

Falconer, Ollie 6 

*Ferguson, Hattie 12 

Hudelson, Mina 9 

Hudelson, Clara 7 

Hudelson 7 

Hill, Henry 7 

Jenkins, Samantha 12 

Jenkins, John 7 

Livingston, Mamie 6 

Mosley, Gordon 9 

Mosley, Mary 6 

Miller, Eva 8 

* Promoted. 



AVERAGE RANK 

1883-4 1884-5 



78 



^2 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 

An Annual Catalogue of the county is of much Inter- 
est to the teachers, pupils, and the public generally. 
This catalogue should contain a complete directory of 
the schools and teachers; a complete list of pupils ex- 
amined at the Centrals, together with appropriate notes 
concerning these examinations; a perfect list of pupils 
attending the Final Examination, with notes concerning 
same; the trustees of the county; the treasurers; the 
boards of directors, etc. 

In counties where this has been kept up for some 
time, all welcome the Annual Catalogue. There is no 
reason for not publishing the same, as it can.be paid for 
by securing a few reliable advertisements for its pages. 

A little thought upon the part of those compiling such 
catalogues, will readily suggest what is best to publish 
in this shape. 

We clip a "Central" from an Annual Catalogue for 
1884, and a "Final" from one of 1883. 

CENTRAL EXAMINATIONS. 

The following shows the names of pupils examined, 
schools, and teachers represented, in each Great Dis- 
trict, in 1884: 

Milam Center, Jan. 28, 1884. 

Harmony School. — Mina Dickson, Florence Ekiss, 
Geo. Freeland, John Moody, Jerusha Ekiss, Gladys 
Burke, Louis Moody. Mr. C. A. Lindsley, teacher. 

MiddleswortJi School. — Charles Armstrong, J. B. 
Gibson, Ticie Armstrong, Emma McCool, Julia Kellar, 
Arthur Fleming. C. A. Hight, teacher. 

Kendal School. — Elvira J. Baum, Charles Kendall. 
Daniel File, teacher. 



Catalogues. 93 

Long Grove School. — Florence Hight, Sadie Warren, 
Thomas Smith, Alice Gibson. Elmer E. Gibson, 
teacher. 

Milam Center School. — Sadie Rogers, Cora McKin- 
ney, Leona McKinney. Jennie Rogers, teacher. 

Hale School. — Katie Dunn, Elmer VanGundy, Agnes 
Hogan, Katie Hogan, Lizzie Dunn. Wilbur Gibson, 
teacher. 

Ocean Wave School. — Maud Gibson, Minnie Wise.. 
Adda Keller, teacher. 

FINAL EXAMINATION, 

Held at Decatur, March 29, 1883. 

Pupils. School. 

Mollie E. Tandy .Stringtovvn 

Elmer Clements Westfield 

Grace Thrift Fairplay 

Grant Kirby Kirby 

Emma Lichtenberger Excelsior 

Mollie Floyd.., White Hall 

Hattie Jones Prairie Chapel 

William Scott White Hall 

Lizzie Adams Argenta 

John L. Clark Bois d'Arc 

Maggie Hogan Fairplay 

Edgar Coleman Peru 

Nellie Dickey Corner 

Maude Gibson Hale 

Dell Bartlett Independence 

Effie Gepford Harristown 

Belle Stuart Kirby 

Thomas Hunt Harmony 



94 How to Grade and Teach a Country ScJioot. 

Arthur P. Bean Harmony 

Minnie Seeberger Independence 

Charles Carr Argenta 

Emma Ulrey The Ridge 

Lona H. Bohrer Pleasant Grove 

Julia Atchison .White Hall 

Ada Barker Cherry Grove 

W. J. Myer Boiling Springs 

Minnie Clements Blue Mmind 

Richard Seeberger Independence 

Mattie Ehrhart Prairie Center 

John Ward Cross Road 

Jennie Mooney Stringtown 

Edith Peverly Hadley 

Fannie Grossman Hickory Point 

Nellie Younge Wildcat 

Olive Waller Maroa 

Lula Morgan Stringtown 

Cassius Holcomb Oakley 

Mary Wendling Center Ridge 

Clara Jones Maroa 

Jennie Goode Harristo vvn 

Laura B. Plank Forsyth 

Ella Wheeler Eldorado 

May Covault Maroa 



Decorations and Miscellaneous, 95 



II. DECORATIONS AND MISCEL- 
LANEOUS. 



While it is true that many of our school rooms are 
most tastefully decorated and scrupulously clean, it is 
also true that "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. " 
Cobwebs will be cunningly festooned by the industrious 
spider, the consumption of coal in the glowing stove 
will silently deposit its soot on the walls and thus, aided 
by the dust from sweeping, will soon cover up our 
whitened walls and beautiful pictures. 

Let us contrive frames from the cornstalk, the husk, 
ripened grain, cardboard, buttons, beads, yarns, wood, 
etc.; let us preserve all our tasteful wood-cuts of 
interest, picture-cards of real worth, scraps of history, 
fac-similes of the handwriting of our prominent men 
and women, engravings of different kinds, and espe- 
cially those of historical events, and those illustrating 
home life in all its simplicity, and place them within 
these deftly contrived frames, and on the day set apart 
for this work, let us place them upon the walls of our 
school rooms as ornaments of our own, and as the prop- 
erty of the district. 

The preceding is copied from the "Manual and 
Guide" in use in about fifty counties of Illinois. 

In these counties the Fourth Friday of October has 
been the day set apart for this work. The plan began 



96 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

in one of them in 1879, and has grown to be of uni- 
versal interest in the rural schools. 

The school-room is the home of many a poor boy 
and girl. Teachers, pupils, and patrons may make it 
more than a home for the poor— they may make it a 
paradise. Hang a picture upon the wall. Better be a 
French chromo worth two cents than none at all; it 
may be a world to some poor starving mind. Many of 
our pupils come from the homes of those who live in 
wealth and opulence, and whose parlors are decorated 
with all that art can suggest to make them attractive; 
how can we expect pupils from these beautiful sur- 
roundings to welcome the bare and smoked walls of the 
average school room. Is it any wonder that the school 
has no attractions for such? If we offer no attractions 
for those who come from the homes destitute of decor- 
ations, how can we hope to lure them from their unpre- 
tentious abodes by offering them nothing of greater 
interest? 

Early impressions decide our taste or dislike for study; 
it is a self-evident fact, that unless we can induce a love 
for the school-room, we shall fail to secure a regular 
attendance in the schools of the United States; having 
no compulsory laws of consequence, we must make the 
schools so attractive that the little tyro shall attend 
regularly, and of his own accord. There is no good 
reason why every school in a county should not be 
beautifully and tastefully decorated, if the persons in 
authority would but move in the right direction. 
Simply make the move and the teachers will enthusi- 
astically follow all reasonable suggestions; pupils will 
heartily endorse such a movement and the patrons in 



Decorations and Miscellaneous. 97 

turn will lend their best efforts to beautify and adorn 
the school room. 

Finally, we are of the opinion that the school room, 
and its accompaniments, has more to do with the 
influences for good, than any other factor in the general 
education of the nation; we believe that the cheerful 
surroundings of the school room has as much to do 
with the prevention of vandalism as any other thing 
connected with the whole course; those school rooms 
kept neatly calcimined or papered, and completely 
decorated, will remain in excellent condition for years, 
and show a surprising absence of anything like vandal- 
ism; we wish to testify that there is a tendency to 
desecrate the walls of the untidy school room in nine 
cases out of ten; our observation, extending through 
several years of school inspection and carefully noted, 
proves this statement conclusively. Pupils in those 
tastefully decorated school rooms are more orderly, and 
present an appearance of refinement to that degree not 
noticeable in the uninviting aspect of bare walls and 
smoked ce'lings. 

The teacher is in his happiest mood within the walls 
of the beautiful school room, while he is petulant and 
gloomy within the bounds of the other. The children 
are happier within the former, and the attendance 
actually improves in its regularity and permanency,, 
while it is unstable and uncertain in the latter. 

There must then be an educating influence within the 
keeping of the school room worthy our serious con- 
sideration. 

As to cost, there is no necessity of an outlay of money 
tQ make the beginning; there are numerous decorations. 



98 How to Grade and Teach a Country ScJiool. 

to be had for the suggestion simply, and enough to 
accomplish all that is desired; when the beginning is 
once made, there is no trouble to keep it up, as pupils 
will enter heartily into it. 

Let the school-room of our land be made the most 
cheerful place in the community, and we shall have 
cause to expect a benign influence upon the rising gen- 
eration. Beautiful surroundings exert an influence for 
good, while unfavorable ones promote the growth of the 
bad. 

UNIFORM MARKINGS. 

For the sake of uniformity, and for the purpose of a 
proper comparison, there should be some understanding 
as to the markings as applied to the manuscript of the 
pupil. It is just as easy to have the correction marks 
of a county uniform as not; indeed there is no good 
reason for having them any other way. Those marks 
approaching most nearly in form to those used by the 
proof-reader will be found to be of most value, and to 
be as simple as any. 

Several counties in Illinois are using the following 
marks in grading the written works of their pupils; they 
have proved quite satisfactory and warrant their inser- 
tion at this place: 

This ^EEE shows that the letter under which it is 
drawn should have been an upper-case type, instead of 
a lower-case one, thus: richmond, margaret. 

When this / is drawn through a letter and 1. c. writ- 
ten in the margin it indicates that a lower-case letter 
should have been used; when this / is used and an x is 
formed in the margin it indicates that the letter is super- 



Decorations mid Miscellaneous. gc) 

fluous and that it should be stricken out; this a indi- 
cates something omitted; this ^ signifies strike out or 
erase; this -r indicates, a new paragraph. 

Summary: 

^^ indicates upper-case letters. 

u. c. also " i< i< 

1. c. indicates lower-case letters. 

A (caret.) Something omitted. 

S (dele.) Strike out or erase. 

/. Wrong letter or mark. 

-T. New paragraph. 

Other marks might be used, but simplicity would 
dictate but few; the children will readily learn to use 
these in their blackboard, or written work. It may be 
said that the child will not likely use these correction 
marks as he may never read proof for the press; very 
well, these marks are as simple as any others that are in 
use, and as there should be some uniformity in this work, 
it is well to use that which is more generally practiced. 

REGULATIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS. 

1. Write upon both sides of the paper if necessary; 
when narrow paper is used, turn the paper from you by 
taking hold of the lower margin and turning it end for 
end. (In other words invert it as you turn it over.) 
If the paper is wide, and a margin is wanted at the left 
for binding, turn the paper over without inverting it, 
and leave a corresponding margin on the right, to agree 
with that on the left of the first page. 

2. Use ink where it is possible to secure it. The 
paper should show the child's best efforts, and ink wiil 
exhibit his work to the best advantage. 



lOO How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

3. Number the answers to agree with the questions, 
placing the number in the middle of the line, and omit- 
ting same line. Use Roman numerals. 

4. Think a moment before writing upon a given 
topic, in order to adopt the best possible language at 
your own command. When the answer is formulated 
in the mind, write it out carefully and deliberately, 
striving to talk exactly to the point. Use no super- 
fluous words, and guard against tautology at all times. 

5. When you have written your answer, read it 
carefully, and when you find an error, use the correction 
marks adopted for indicating your changes; this should 
give you credit for possessing the requisite knowledge. 
Any one is liable to omit a word, misspell a word, use 
a lower-case letter for an upper-case one, forget to 
indent a paragraph, etc., and should have the privilege 
of correcting such before handing in the MS. 

6. Do not attempt to tell too much about a subject, 
but be sure yon answer just what is wanted, and to the 
point. When a question is answered, stop short, with- 
out making any additions. 

The following will suggest the form for this kind of 
work: 

I. 




:'^^ ant/ '^^i^fed/ ^l^Hai^nm, ana 



Decorations and Miscellaneous. lOi 



II. 



ne €mi€i/oi /j /? aiea/ r.ue/^ '^./^dese 
^^ne €mj^ me ^'ai/A, -em^^ti-pfu tub/an/ /^a'm 



III. 



r^^ 







IV. 

^mii dAfi^fZo^u ^€€€i'9?t€d dnei/ei, 
Aieen /Ae ^eiue-ai ia^d ^^ Me 

V. 
iu/^nad {^€€fHd en ^^€€^-771^^4 ^J, tn 
'ydfi€i/^.i^, '^uf /m^d /i ^m^'ce/dU'm^nM -pn^ /no/ 

SHOULD PUPILS HAVE THE OUTLINE? 

It has been a question among prominent educators 
whether pupils should have a printed or written outline 
or not. Those who have tried the experiment of furn- 



102 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

ishing a printed outline are enthusiastic in its praise. 
Their arguments as compiled are about as follows: 

1. The pupil should know the limit of the examina- 
tion for the month as well as the teacher. There should 
be no secret in school work. 

2. With the outline before him the pupil has a guide 
for private study which he would not otherwise have; 
pupils will frequently study considerably if they know 
ivhat to study; they are furnished both the zvhat and 
the Jlozu much in this outline. 

3. By having the outline at hand the pupil has a 
guide to follow in selecting the terms for definition, 
rules to be learned, places to be located, etc. ; this gives 
him employment at all times, and is a strong incentive 
to have him do more than he would ordinarily do with- 
out this assistance. 

4. It saves the teacher much unnecessary labor in 
the way of copying or making up outlines from day to 
day; as the pupil cannot select the practical from his 
text it is absolutely necessary that some one should do 
this for him; hence the printed outline furnishes all this 
without the consequent labor of preparing it for him; 
it saves the pupil much valuable time, as he must copy 
the outlines from day to day. 

5. By having a printed outline furnished by the 
county it is uniform and offers an incentive to both 
teacher and pupil not found in the separate outline of 
a district only, as no two teachers will make up the 
same terms, rules, definitions, etc., to be found in the 
outline best applicable to the county. 

6. The use of a topical outline furnishes the pupil 
with the key to topical study, makes him independent 



Decorations and Miscellaneous. 103 

to a certain degree, not attainable by the usual text 
book method of study, and leaves him free to find his- 
information wherever he may. 

7. Pupils have no apparent lack of employment on 
the score of not knowing where the work may be found. 
When a lesson is learned they may find what is next 
wanted by reference to the outline. Bright pupils are 
thus encouraged to push on and complete the course as 
soon as possible. 

8. Having the outline at hand pupils get a compre- 
hensive view of a branch long before they complete it; 
in other words, they are enabled to see what is before 
them for the year, and are thus encouraged to do part 
of it in advance of the regular lessons. 

9. Having the printed outline the pupil can be 
directed to review any part of the work at any time. 
A simple direction will enable him to turn to the topic 
desired for review, and he can at once prosecute the 
labor without further direction. 

10. Summing up all the points in favor of furnish- 
ing the printed outline to the pupils, the strongest argu- 
ment in its favor is the fact that it puts the pupil upon 
his feet and makes him an independent investigator 
after the topical plan of study. The text book plan of 
question and answer will not accomplish this. 

IS THE OUTLINE OF ADVANTAGE TO TEACHERS ? 

The outline is of inestimable value to the teacher for 
the following reasons: 

I. He is furnished with a definite amount of work 
to be done each month. It is true that this is the min- 
imum amount of work as selected by the superintend- 



I04 Hoiu to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

ent, but the good teacher will do more by having it 
Jhan otherwise, and the poor one will at least do the 
amount outlined, and do it much better than he would 
without this guide. 

2. The teacher understands that if others are able 
to do this work, he should be expected to attempt it; 
his desire to accomplish it will be imparted to his pupils, 
and thus encourage them to greater effort. The incen- 
tive thus induced is almost invaluable. 

3. The teacher's desire to accomplish at least the 
minimum leads to the question, "How shall I do this?" 
or, "What is the best method of doing this thing?" or, 
"How do you do this?" 

The result is, he obtains better methods from his fel- 
low teachers, and in many cases invents some little help 
which he in turn gives to his fellows as an answer to 
their inquiry. 

4. There is a strong power back of all this which 
says, "if I do this well, and succeed in getting good 
grades from my pupils, I shall satisfy my employers, 
and possibly be retained at an advanced salary; or, if I 
succeed in doing first-class work, I shall be enabled to 
get into a school of higher grade. If I do not follow 
the outline pretty closely, my pupils will not do well, 
and it will be known by every one within the township. " 

5. Actual use of the outline in a given county for a 
number of years results in the retention of good teachers 
at a better salary for a number of terms, and the rejec- 
tion of the poorer class at any price. The use of the 
outline, then, makes the teacher's tenure of office more 
permanent, and tends to improve the profession of teach- 
ing by vcid>k.\ngprofessionalcoicntry teachers. 



Decorations and Miscellaneous. 1 05 

6. When the teacher thoroughly understands how to 
use the outline and how to secure the best work from it, 
he holds the key to the situation so far as discipline is 
concerned. It is an old and a trite saying, that "the 
secret of school government is to keep the children busy. " 
Just in the proportion that the children are kept busy, 
will the necessity for attempting to improve the disci- 
pline of the school lesson. Thorough organization and 
classification with the good executive at the head, will 
secure all that is desirable under the head of school 
discipline. The outline provides fora thorough classifica- 
tion in the rural school; their classification is based upon 
thorough organization and supervision; when the organ- 
ization and the classification is perfected, the outline is 
well in use; when the pupil knows how to use the outline 
he is ready to cultivate the "school virtues. " viz: regular- 
ity of attendance, truthfulness, promptness, obedience, 
kindness, neatness, diligence, earnestness, and thorough- 
ness in the preparation, or the recitation of the lesson. 
The school which takes hold of the outline, and falls in 
with the plan of organization, has all the discipline it 
needs so far as good order is concerned. Diligence in 
study will banish the necessity of force in discipline. 
The outline keeps the pupil employed. 

7. The outline requires much written work when suc- 
cessfully followed, this will give employment to both 
the younger and the older pupils. If judiciously di- 
rected it will keep all the younger pupils busily engaged 
in the preparation of slate work, and the older ones in 
the topical prosecution of their lessons. 

Hiram Orcutt, in his "Discipline of the School", 
says: "Both the master and his pupils must work. In- 



lo6 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

dolence in him begets idleness and recklessness in them. 
Life, energy, and industry manifested by him, will be 
at once reproduced in them. The teacher must work 
to fit himself for his high calling and to elevate his pro- 
fession. He must work for his school, to interest and 
benefit his patrons, to rouse and inspire his pupils, and 
to prepare himself for his daily teaching. Indeed, the 
true teacher is always reading, thinking, or acting for 
his school. He succeeds, also, in making his pupils 
work; not so much, however, by direct effort, as through 
the influence of a well managed and well governed 
school. With children of common physical and mental 
ability, it is not often necessary to enforce industry. It 
is the teacher's business, rather, to direct and control 
this activity, in a systematic process of self culture and 
development. " 

8. The same authority says: "Study is mental 
gymnastics, systematic thinking, and the end in view is 
development and culture. One great object of the 
school is to induce and direct this mental exercise. 
Study is of the first importance, and hence must have 
the first attention of every practical teacher. In the 
organization, classification, management, and govern- 
ment of his school his chief aim is to secure systematic 
thinking. To this end he arranges certain hours of the 
day to be especially devoted to study. " 

When the school is perfectly systematized so that 
each and every pupil has all the work that he can do, and 
so pleasantly divided between the hours of recreation 
as to induce the greatest effort, then the discipline is all 
that can be asked. It is the systematic arrangement of 
all the powers within the reach of the teacher that pro- 



Decorations and Miscellaneous. 



107 



duces order, zeal, interest, and love for school labor. 
On the other hand, teachers fail for the want of this sys- 
tematic arrangement as suggested by the classification 
and division of time by the outline. 
THE PROGRAMME. 
We know of no better general programme than the 
following: 



TIME. 1 RECITE. 


STUDY. 


A.M. 


Min. 


All Classes 


1st Clas-s 


2Dd Class 


3rd Class 


4lh Class 


5th Class 


9 00 


5 
10 
10 
15 
15 
20 
15 


Opening. 

Read. 

Read. 

Re.\d. 

Read. 

Arith. 

Arith. 








1 


9:0.5 




Read. 


Read. 
Read. 


Read. 
Read. 
Read. 


Ariih. 


9-15 


Copy. 
Copy. 
Num. 
Num. 
Num. 


Aritli. 


9 25 


Copy. 
Num. 
Num. 
Num. 


Arith. 


940 


Arith. 
Arith. 


Arith. 


9-')5 


Arith. 
Arith. 




10:15 


Gram. 


10:30 


15 






RECESS. 






10-45 


5 
15 
20 
10 
10 
15 


Num. 

Arith. 

Gram. 

Read. 

Lang. 

Write. 






Note b'k. 
Note b'k. 
Lang. 
Lang. 


Arith. 


Grnm. 


10*50 


Copy. 
Read. 


Copy. 

Read! 
Read. 


Gram. 


11:05 
11-25 


Lang. 
Lang. 


"ilist. 


11-35 


Copy. 
Copy. 


Hist. 


11-45 


















12:00 


60 


NOON. 


I'OO 


1' 
15 
20 
15 
15 
10 


Read. 

Read. 

Hist. 

Kead. 

Geog. 

Recitk. 


Read. 




Read. 
Read. 
Read. 


Note b'k. 
Geog. 
Geog. 
Geog. 


Hist 


115 


Copy. 
Coj.y. 
Copy. 
Copy. 


Hist. 


1-30 


Cupy. 
Copy. 
Copy. 




1-50 


Note b'k. 


2-05 


Note b'k. 
Note b'k. 


Geog. 
Geog. 


2-20 


Arith. 








2:30 


15 


RECESS. 


2-45 


20 
10 
10 
10 
15 
10 


Geog. 
Read. 

■ EAD. 

Spell. 
Spell. 
ObalL. 


Read. 


Read. 
Read. 


s%^fi: 

Spell. 


Arith. 
Spell. 
Spell. 




3-05 


Note h'ic. 


3-15 


Copy. 
Read. 
Read. 


Spell 
Spell. 
Note b'k. 


3-25 


a- 


3:35 
3.50 


Note b'k. 


Note b'k. 



The dotted lines denote recitation; the term, note 
book, is used in a general sense to denote slate or 
tablet. 

Each teacher must modify the above to suit the con- 
ditions of his school. 



Io8 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



PRIMARY DIVISION, 



COURSE AND OUTLINE OF STUDY. 

APPROXIMATE TIME — TWO YEARS. 

r Reading and Language. 
Studies of First and J Spelling. 
Second Reader Pupils. 1 Penmanship. 

[^Numbers. 

classification. 

Reading. — In many of the country schools it will be 
found to be difficult to secure a proper classification in 
this branch at first, owing to the different attainments 
of the pupils. If the pupils are put at work upon their 
own vocabularies at once, they will soon form them- 
selves into classes, and move along together. By a 
little attention the slow pupil may be assisted to reach 
the attainments of those who have the start of him, 
and thus reduce the number of classes For a time the 
pupil should not have the reader, as he must learn to 
recognize the script and printed forms of the words he 
already uses; place all such in one class, and if possible 
place all others in another class; in many cases, no 
First Reader will be needed, or vice versa. At any rate 
study to reduce the classification in this division to the 
fewest number of classes possible. 

Languaoe. — Language, if successfully taught, must 
run through all the work in the school course; the best 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 1 09 

opportunities for doino^ this are afforded in connection 
with Reading; each lesson preparation should have 
some point in Language clearly brought out. 

For reasons suggested above, the Language work is 
mingled with the course in reading. No provision is 
needed for a class in this department of work. 

Spelling. — No classes should be formed in this 
branch in this division; Spelling is best taught in con- 
nection with the Reading lesson. This is quite fully 
illustrated under the head of Reading, and if closely 
followed the pupil will soon be able to spell the words 
which he uses in his conversation. If you have the 
speller in the primary grades, it will need to be used to 
some extent in order to avoid unnecessary criticism; a 
little patience, together with the use of your better 
judgment, will soon eradicate the tiresome speller. 

It is a serious mistake to put the speller into the 
hands of the pupil, and expect him to be able to 
memorize long columns of words, that to him have no 
meaning. Unless he is familiar with the use of the 
words, he will receive but little benefit from such work. 
If your pupils have the speller, it will be necessary to 
use it to some extent in many localities, to keep down 
the criticism of patrons who honestly believe that ''this 
is the ivay to learn to spell,'' since they used the speller 
when they attended the country school. By using it at 
such times as may seem best, and by not requiring it to 
be purchased by those pupils who are entering these 
classes, the teacher will soon be rid of this book, reduce 
his number of classes at least one, and thus complete 
the first step in the direction of a better classification. 

It requires patience and good judgment to banish the 



I lO 



How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



speller from the Primary Division in back-woods dis- 
tricts, but the live teacher can do this as effectually 
here as elsewhere; the people will ever listen to reason, 
when judiciously administered. 

For methods of teaching Reading and Spelling, see 
the suggestive methods under the head of Reading ii) 
this division. 

Penmanship. — Form no class in this division, as it 
is best taught by ever presenting good forms from the 
board. In all the script work for the division, use the 
utmost care to secure correct forms of the letters. 
Every word, every sentence presented to the child, 
should be a model of neatness and of exactness. It is 
of the greatest importance that the child should see noth 
ing but model forms in all of his first ivork. 

Have Primary pupils attend to all the aids and sug- 
gestions given in the class exercise of Penmanship for 
the school. The members of this division will be ben- 
efitted by hearing all your directions, and should be re- 
quired to take part in the daily writing exercise. 

Numbers. — In Number work it is necessary to hold 
the child accountable for all the work given him and 
hence it is economy of time to place in classes; 
for the oral drills, they should be called to the recita- 
tion seat, or be made to stand, in order that the in- 
structor may be able to hold the attention of all. 
Usually brief oral drills may be given in connection 
with the reading lesson for a time, but it will be found 
necessary to place them into classes sooner or later. 
Do not suffer more than two classes, (if possible to avoid 
it,) and contrive to merge these into one as soon as 
possible. By carefully directing the number work from 



Outline of Study for Priuiary Division, 



1 1 1 



the board, the First Reader pupils will soon do Second 
Reader work. Again, the copying, and the object work 
at the desk may be inspected at short intervals, as the 
teacher walks about the room in the discharge of his 
duties. Do not permit yourself to give an explanation 
ivJiile a pupil is reeiting. 

Reading AND Language. — Books — Charts, First and 
Second Readers. 

Object — To teach the pupil the correct printed and 
written forms of the words he uses, and to preserve or 
retain his natural mode of expression. 

Materials — Blackboard, pictures, objects, ruled slate, 
long pencil, sponge. 

Recitation — (i) The pronunciation of the word as a 
whole. 

(2) Spelling by sound. 

(3) Spelling by letter. 

(4) Name of diacritical marks. Daily review and 
careful drill on the above points. 

Have the child see an object; have him to talk about 
it; secure direct statements as to what can be done 
with the object or by it; tell what it has, etc. Show 
him ^picture of the object; what things can be said of 
the object that cannot be said of the picture? Thus, 
"the cat laps milk." "She is good." "She catches 
mice," etc. 

When the objeet and \\\q picture are clearly before the 
child's mind, write the word representing the object up- 
on the board. (In script.) Let the pupils point to the 
object, i\\Q picture, and the word in turn; keep this up 
until the child is able to find the written word in many 
places upon the board, when combined with other words. 



1 12 How to Gi'ade and Teach a Couiitry School. 

Now print and write the word side by side, having pupils 
name them. Have pupils find each of the forms and 
continue until they are recognized wherever found. 

When you have enough words to build a sentence, do 
so; present the statement first, then the question; use 
period and question mark. 

In the very first lesson use the word method. Teach 
a and the at the first in connection with the nouns they 
limit. Teach the first few lessons from the board with 
the aid of pictures and objects, but in a short time use 
the First Reader. 

After the lesson in the book has been read two or 
three times, place a lesson on the board, using many of 
the same words in the book, but in different combina- 
tions, thus ascertaining whether the word has been 
learned, or the sentence in which it occurred committed 
to memory. Try to have the children talk about the 
objects whose names are being learned. 

Seek to establish freedom and familiarity between 
yourself and young children. Your success in teaching 
Reading depends entirely upon yourself. 

It is very important that the child should be put at 
copying (/;/ script) the first word learned, immediately; 
he should write the 7ie2v words immediately after learn- 
ing them; he should copy the first sentence formed by 
the teacher. As many sentences as possible should be 
formed from the words learned; thus, from the words 
it, cat, is, my, may be formed: 
It is my cat. 
Is it my cat? 

When a new word is added, another sentence should 
be formed and copied. 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 



1 1 



If there be a secret in the successful teaching of read- 
ing, it is this, — never permit the pupil to find a word 
which he cannot readily pronounce at sight. 

When words are thoroughly learned, they should be 
used in numerous sentences until they are used in as 
many ways as possible. 

By this means the correct form of the written words 
becomes familiar to the pupil, and by constant and con- 
tinued repetition the words are thoroughly learned. 
The use of a or an, and the, are thus taught correctly, 
both in connection and pronunciation. Teach this and 
that, these and those, here and there, is and are, was 
and ivere in the same way. Vary the work by asking 
"What is this?" Write and have children read and 
copy: This is a—. "What is that?" That is a—. 
Combine them thus: 

This is a — , and that is a — . 

These are — , and those are — . 

This is — , and these are — . 

That is — , and those are — . 
. Use but one form at a time, and fill the slates; you 
can not use the word too much or too often, but you 
can use too many different forms. Again we say, 
"make haste slowly." 

As you progress, make out sentences with blanks to 
be filled, containing groups of words used together. 
The following list is suggestive. The teacher may con- 
tinue at pleasure. 



It is a hat. This is a ball 

It is a — . .This is a — . 

It is a — . jThis is a — . 

It is a — . That is a — , 



I see the man. 
I see the — . 
I see the — . 
I see the — , 



1 4 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



It is a — . 


That 


is a — . 


I saw the — . 


It is a—. 


That 


is a — . 


I saw the — . 


It is a — . 


That 


is a — . 


I saw the — . 


Here is a pen. 






Has the man a — ? 


Here is a — . 






Has the man a — ? 


Here is a — . 






Can the hen — ? 


Here is an — . 






Can the rat — ? 


Here is an — . 






The hen — . 


Here is an — . 






The hen — . 


Where are the 


slate and 


The hen — . 


pencil? 






The dog will — . 


Where are the — 


and — 


:> 


The dog will — . 


Where are the — 


and — 


p 


I have a — , you have a — . 


Here is a — ^andth 


ere is a 


— . 


I have a — , he has ci — . 


Here was a — , 


and th 


ere 


Can the — run? Yes, the 


-was a — . 






— can. 


Here are — , 


and th 


ere 


The — is — the — . 


were — . 






Where is the book? 


These are pears. 






The — is — the — . 


These are — . 






The — is — the — . 


Xhese are — . 






The — runs. 


These are — . 






The — runs. 


This is a black cap. 




The — runs. 


This is a black — 


-, 




The — runs. 


This is a black — 


-. 




The — runs. 


Tliat is a black — 


* 




The — runs. 


Hiat is a black — 


-. 




The — is white. 


This is an old — . 






The — is white. 


Tliat is an old — . 






The — is white. 


The nian has a book. 




The — is white. 


The man has a — 


. 




The — is white. 


The man has a — 


. 




The —^ is w 


hite. 



Try to find pictures illustrating the selected words 
for a time, always having pupils to copy ivords in script. 

It is well to find some First Readers, or specimen 
pages of such, cut the pictures from them, paste them 
upon manilla paper, or cardboard, together with some 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 115 

of the words in script and print found upon these pages. 
These can be used by the pupil in the preparation of his 
lesson in many ways suggested by the thinking teacher. 

In your first work with the pupil, endeavor to make 
the printed and written word as much objects of sight 
as the objects themselves. 

Note how the pupil acquires Language as he advances, 
and this will be of invaluable aid to you in subsequent 
Language work. 

Pupils should be required to write statements as soon 
as ten or fifteen words are learned. At first a simple 
statement should be drawn from him and carefully writ- 
ten by the teacher, calling attention to the capital letter 
and the period. The pupil should copy this carefully, 
and it should be inspected by the teacher with directions 
for corrections. 

Review the words learned at preceding recitation, 
spell them from board or slates, spell all the new words 
as the pupil advances, and have all of them written. 

Suppose you have this picture: 

a it 

an sit 

fan in 

can tin 

pan is 

ran his 

man did 

a§ bid 




1 1 6 How to Gi'ade and Teach a Country School. 

From a man, a girl, a boy, a fan, a pan, a hat, a can, a 
shoe, &c., you may find rt: and write it as above; from an 
ax you may obtain a^i, &c. By this means learn all the 
words upon the border of the picture. From these 
you can build sentences. 

The same picture may be used for the language work 
as in the pictures noticed. 



I see (a, or an) <J 



> in the picture. 



By such a scheme you may economize time in direct- 
ing pupils to a very great extent. 

The child should not be required to print in the prep- 
aration of his lesson, but should be required to prepare it 
in script. 

"There is no need for the child to print." — Hewett. 

The child enters school with a vocabulary of from two 
hundred to six hundred spoken words; he is able to use 
these in making himself understood among his fellows; 
but he does not recognize these words in the written or 
printed page. The first thing to do is to teach him 
these words in print, and in script. If the chart is at 
hand, (and is one of modern date,) then we have the 
picture and the word to guide us. If this cannot be 
had, then the teacher must make his own chart. Here 
is a very simple plan for making such; cut some pictures 
of objects from stock catalogues, newspapers, alma- 
nacs, etc.; paste these upon a sheet of wrapping paper 
to be had at the dry goods store for a penny. Cut 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. i \'j 

Words representing these objects from the same source 
and paste them in appropriate places. Write the same 
words in good script and place them to right of the 
printed words; rule balance of sheet to agree with pro- 
portionate ruling upon slate. Write the words which 
the pupil has already learned, so as to form sentences; 
as soon as possible, build up a little story from these 
words; in doing this kind of work, the teacher will soon 
have a chart that will last him for years. (Of course he 
would need to make several pages of such work, in 
order to get his one or two hundred words so necessary 
for a preparation to read, even in the First Reader) 

If the teacher has had no experience in this selection 
of words, let him read the first ten pages of all the First 
Readers at his command, and list the words found in 
them. He should find over one hundred in a half dozen 
different readers. Let him use those words which seem 
to him most familiar to his pupils. The appended list 
will suggest itself to the use of the teacher, while he 
can compare it carefully with the reader or chart in use 
and add such words as his judgment dictates: 



a 


back 


carry 


hat 


mat 


swam 


an 


bat 


Dan 


has 


map 


Sam 


at 


cat 


dare 


hand 


man 


shall 


as 


candy 


damp 


had 


mad 


sand 


ax 


can 


fat 


have 


nap 


sat 


apple 


black 


fan 


happy 


nag 


stand 


am 


bang 


flat 


happen 


pat 


stack 


Annie 


bank 


Frank 


jack 


pan 


scratch 


Abby 


band 


flag 


lad 


plank 


that 


Alice 


cap 


Fanny 


lamp 


Rab 


Tab 


Ann 


catch 


flap 


lamb 


plant 


than 



i 1 8 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 



bad 


candle 


gnat 


land 


rat 


thank 


bag 


cattle 


glad 


lap 


Sad 


wax 


e 


bent 


get 


neck 


set 


them 


Emma 


Ben 


head 


next 


sent 


tell 


end 


bread 


held 


pet 


sell 


wet 


egg- 


dead 


kept 


pen 


seven 


well 


bed 


Fred 


men 


peg 


sled 


when 


beg 


shed 


met 


rest 


step 


west 


bet 


fed 


net 


nest 


Shep 


yet 


bell 


felt 


many 


red 


then 


yes 


bend 


fence 


Ned 


send 


tent 


guess 




chill 


hid 


mix 


silk 


tip 


in 


dip 


hill 


Mr. 


sift 


tin 


ill 


did 


him 


Mister 


sill 


trick 


is 


Dick 


hip 


nickel 


sing 


trim 


it 


dig 


his 


pig 


spin 


thing 


bid 


dim 


hit 


pick 


spit 


vim 


big 


dizzy 


Jill 


picture 


stick 


win 


bill 


drip 


Jip 


pretty 


silly 


wing 


been 


drill 


kill 


pillow 


six 


will 


begin 


fill 


kid 


quill 


string 


Willy 


bit 


fit 


lid 


quick 


sister 


wind 


brick- 


fist 


limp 


quit 


swing 


window 


brim 


fix 


lip 


rich 


swim 


willow 


chick 


frisk 


Hft 


rid 


ship 


wick 


chicken 


Frisk 


little 


rill 


think 


wilt 


crib 


fish 


live 


rip 


till 


wish 


cripple 


finger 


milk 


rim 


this 


whip 


chip 


give 


mitten 


sit 


thin 


chimney 


gift 


miss 


sink 


thick 


zip 


list 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 119 






Bobby 


doll 


hop 


pot 


stock 


of 


cot 


dolly 


hot 


pocket 


stop 


off 


cod 


dot 


hog 


pond 


spot 


on 


coffee 


drop 


John 


pop 


sod 


ox 


cog 


fog 


log 


prop 


top 


box 


collar 


fox 


lot 


rot 


trot 


body 


copper 


frost 


lost 


rock 


toss 


bog 


cost 


from 


not 


rotten 


Tommy 


bonnet 


dog 


got 


knock 


sorry 


was 


u 


dew 


io.^ 


mew 


new 


you 


chew 


your 










a 


chair 


hair 


pair 


scare 


there 


air 


care 


mare 


pear 


stair 


tear 


bear 


dare 


fair 


where 






a 


calf 


half 








ii 


bun 


cut 


dust 


hunt 


lump 


under 


Bunny 


crumb 


dug 


hum 


love 


uncle 


bud 


come 


dull 


honey 


dove 


up 


bug 


done 


fun 


hurry 


none 


but 


cud 


dunce 


funny 


jump 


pup 


butter 


cup 


duck 


gun 


just 


enough 


a 


gay 


may 


play 


stay 


train 


ate 


gate 


mail 


plate 


skate 


trail 


came 


hay 


mate 


place 


stain 


they 


cake 


hate 


make 


pain 


sail 


way 


day 


jail 


mane 


paint 


save 


away 


Daisy 


Kate 


name 


pray 


take 


wake 


fail 


late 


Mary 


say 


tail 


waken 


gave 


lay 


pay 


slate 


tame 





120 HoiO to Grade and Teach a Country Schools 



g 


bean 


fear 


leap 


need 


seed 


eat 


bleed 


flee 


Lee 


peep 


seat 


ear 


creep 


feed 


leave 


please 


seal 


easy 


cheap 


fifteen 


lean 


pea 


seem 


eating 


cheat 


heel 


leak 


read 


seam 


be 


deep 


hear 


me 


reap 


tear 


bee 


dear 


he 


meal 


she 


tea 


beat 


feel 


knee 


meet 


see 


team 


but 


free 


kneel 


near 


sweet 


we 


i 


dry 


Fido 


live 


mile 


sly 


1 


die 


hide 


fife 


nine 


slide 


ice 


dime 


hive 


Hke 


nice 


slice 


by 


five 


kite 


lion 


pie 


tie 


bind 


fry 


knife 


line 


pile 


time 


bite 


fly 


kind 


my 


pine 


try 


cry 


fine 


lie 


mine 


ripe 


why 





colt 


goat 


most 


rope 


shone 


oh 


comb 


hold 


no 


roan 


slow 


O 


door 


hoe 


nose 


stone 


toe 


old 


floor 


home 


know 


sow 


throw 


bow 


flow 


lone 


pole 


so 


though 


bone 


four 


alone 


post 


snow 


wore 


broke 


go 


low 


row 


show 


woke 


cold 


crow 


grow 


more 


rose 


yellow 


a 


basket 


fast 


dance 


chance 


last 


ask 


cast 










a 
•• 


call 


born 


fall 


law 


paw 


all 


caught 


corn 


for 


morning 


; saw 


ball 


caw 


or 


jaw 


morn 


warm 


6 


cook 


good 


look 


put 


wood 


book 


wool 











Outline of Study for Primary Division. 



121 






Lucy 


stool 


too 


through 


who 


do 


school 


to 


two 


threw 


into 


ovv 


cow 


hour 


mow 


out 


town 


brown 


how 


loud 


now 


owl 


about 


bow 


house 


down 


mouse 


our 




iir 


barn 


dart 


lard 


mark 


tar 


are 


car 


hark 


jar 


part 


tardy 


arm 


cart 


harp 


lark 


papa 


tart 


ark 


carpet 


harm 


large 


park 


yard 


bar 


Carlo 


heart 


mamma 


start 




bark 


dark 


hearth 


marble 


star 




er 


brother 


Walter 


hurt 


girl 


Robert 


other 


mother 


water 


bird 


sir 


Albert 


her 


sister 


flower 








oi 


boil 


coil 


soil 


spoil 


toy 


oil 


boy 


joy 









Possibly some words of this list belong more properly 
to the Second Reader. All of them, however, will be 
found within the comprehension of nearly every child as 
it enters the school. Teacher should select such as suit 
the advancement of his class, finally using all of them. 

The use of the blackboard is better than books or 
charts in teaching beginners to read. Teachers do not 
need the chart as much as they think. The words and 
sentences made by the teacher's hand are similar to the 
words spoken by the voice; the children are more easily 
interested and enlisted by one word or sentence on the 
board, than by whole pages of printed matter. The 
words can be written in every order quickly, erased, 
and re-written, thus bringing out the perception and 
memory of the little ones. 



\22 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Constant attention should be given to Language, and 
much composition in easy, short sentences required in 
this division. Let Language receive all the attention 
which its importance demands. 

It is very important that the teacher insist upon neat- 
ness, correct capitalization, and punctuation, at all 
times. 

Write sentences upon slips of papers, and instead of 
the new word, insert the picture; thus: 

It is my ■ (here insert neat picture of object.) 

My — is on my . 

The will keep me dry. 

Have pupils copy these sentences, inserting names of 
objects. Teacher must inspect all writen work or pupils 
will grow careless, and not do all the work assigned. 

Here is a good exercise for spelling the words learned; 
the sentences are selected from F. W. Parker's tract on 
spelling, and suggest the kind of work to be done at all 
times in this division. Place as many sentences upon 
the board as you think best, have them copied upon 
slates, read in class, and corrected when misspelled. 
There is a mat. The cat is on the mat. 

This is a hat. The rat is on the mat. 

This is a mat. The cat is on the chair. 

This is the cat. The black cat is on the chair. 

I see the rat. The bell is on the mat. 

I see the mat. The bell is on the desk. 

I see a man. The cat is in a pan. 

Here is the hat. The rat is in a box. 

Here is a man. Where are the cats? 

Here is a cap. Where arc the bells? 

Where is the man? The red chair is on the mat. 



Outline of Study for Primary Division, \2% 

Where is the pan? Where have you been? 

Where is the can? Whose cat have you? 

Where is the fan? Whose hat have you? 

I am glad to see you. The rat ran. 

I am glad to see my cap. The hen ran. 

The man ran. This is my sled. 

Here is Frank. The bread is in the pan. 

I see a fat cat. I met a man, 

I see a fat rat. I led the lamb. 

Do you see the fat cat? Can I run? 

Do you see the man? Can the rat run? 

Do you see the black cat? The cat can run. 

Frank had a hat. The rat can walk. 

I had a fat cat. There is a box. 

Did Frank have a hat? There is a fox. 

Where was the hen? The box is on the table. 

Where were the men? The blocks are on the table. 

They were in the house. The fox is in a picture. 

Always examine all the work of the pupils; see every 
thing they do. Never permit them to do any work but 
their best. Less than this is carelessness. Do not per- 
mit carelessness. Look out for the trifles. 

As the children advance in the First Reader, require 
them to write a portion of each lesson on their slates, 
observing carefully capitals, spelling, punctuation, quota- 
tions, and the apostrophe. Be sure to examine the 
work carefully, and return it to them for their correc- 
tion. Do not assign too mucJi at a time. 

Practice oral syllabication, i. e., let the pupils dis- 
tinguish the number of syllables a word has, and recog- 
nize the syllables as a unit. 

Before beginning the Second Reader, test the pupil's 



124 How to Grade and TeacJi a Country School. 

ability to read in some other First Reader than his oWil< 
It would be well to have pupils read several First 
Readers, if they can be had. Teach the child to express 
the thought naturally by a series of easy questions. - 

Require the pupils to arrange the words of the lessons 
in alphabetical order with reference to the first letter of 
the words, thus: 

can (2) dark (2) 

didn't 



These words are 
selected from a 
reader lesson in a 



arrangement. The figures refer to the number of times 
the word occurs in the lesson. 

Use all the supplementary reading that you can secure- 
Make much of this "recreative" reading by permitting; 
the pupil to carry it home with him in order to read it 
to his parents. 

Require pupils to bring to the recitation a portion of 
each lesson neatly aud correctly written on their slates. 

In assigning the lesson, point out a word or two, or 
groups of words to be changed by the pupils when writ- 
ing their lesson. 

Know that your pupils can spell every word in the 
lessons, paying particular attention to the common and 
easy words. Test the ability of the pupil to pronounce 
every word in the part he is to read before reading it, 
and require him to answer the questions "What did 



and (4) 


bureau 


afraid (2) 


but (3) 




basket 


as (2) 


big (2) 


away 


boy 


am 


brave (2) 


all 




a 




Second Reader, 


and serve 



Out line of Study for Primary Division. 125 

this?" "What did he do?" "When?" "How?" "Why 
did he do it?" or "Why was it done?" etc. 

Insist upon the proper position of both book and 
pupil in reading. Do not let pupils point to the words 
while reading. 

Train the pupil to see words not separately, but in 
groups, or to see a few words in advance of those he is 
pronouncing. 

Do not crowd pupils ahead in reading books. Better 
read several books of the same grade. 

Arrange the words in alphabetical order with refer- 
ence to the first two or three letters of the words. (In 
the Second Reader.) 

Combine written and oral spelling, using your best 
methods to secure accurate spelling. 

Be sure the pupil can readily read the script lessons 
in his reader, and write from dictation. 

Read a few sentences or paragraphs as review each 
day. 

Be sure the pupil understands what he is reading. 

Have words written upon slates, and read from them 
before spelling. 

Cultivate soft, natural tones, but do not allow drawl- 
ing. 

Keep a list of the words learned on the blackboard, 
in print and in script form, adding new words as they are 
learned. Begin every recitation by reviewing these. 
Frequently change the order of the words in the list. 

Teach the pupils to recognize at sight groups of words, 
as "the bird," "on the tree," "the boy runs," etc., etc. 

Never allow a pupil to attempt to read a sentence 
until he can pronounce readily at sight every word in it.* 



126 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Without this care, the pupil loses his naturalness of 
expression and learns to hesitate, drawl, etc. 

It will be noticed that no provision is made for spell- 
ing classes in this division; spell everything in the 
reader as the class progresses, but do not ask pupils to 
purchase the speller; if it is found in their hands, do as 
suggested for the primary arithmetic. 

Have pupils learn the Arabic and Roman notations 
as they advance from lesson to lesson, or from page to 
page in their readers. 

It is well to write sentences from some reader not in 
use, cut the words apart, and have pupils arrange them 
into sentences at the study desk. Teacher must inspect 
these, however. 

Let the teacher take a reader, place the words of any 
lesson (one that has been studied is best) in lines upon 
the board, but not in order of their natural arrange- 
ment. Have these words arranged into good sentences. 
The following lesson is suggestive: 

Pet a was Zip great; was so Betty; cross sometimes 
was Zip; boys he like not did; girls like he did? know 
do not I; old an was hen Betty; was small she; eggs 
lay she did? did she sometimes; an Qgg laid she when 
loud cackled she. 

Make lists like the following, blanks to be filled with 
is or arc : 

1. The horse — black. 

2. — the horse black? 

3. The book is new. 

4. — the book new? 

. 5. The boys — playing. 
6. — the boys playing? 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 127 

Change is to are and are to is in writing these state- 
ments: 

1. The cow is old. 7. The fences are new. 

2. The field is green. 8. The roads are dusty. 

3. The sun is bright. 9. The nights are cool. 

4. The moon is shining. lO. The scholars are busy, 

5. The day is cool. 1 1. The men are working, 

6. The flowers are pretty. 

Have the children find in their books five or more 
words that are the names of persons; look at the first 
letter of each word; copy the names. 

Find five words that are the names of places; look at 
the first letter of each word; copy the words. 

1 . Write your name. 

2. The name of the place where you live. 
. 3. The name of the state. 

4. Your father's name. 

5. Your mother's name. 

6. The name of a place you would like to see. 

Always give your full name when asked, and be able 
to speak and write it so plainly that it cannot be mis- 
understood. 

The pupils should be taught that the last name, or 
family name, is the surname, and that the first or given 
name is the Christian name. The full name is both the 
Christian and surname combined. 

1. Write your full name. 

2. Write your Christian name. 

3. Write your surname. 

4. Write your teacher's surname. 

5. Write the name of your country, 



128 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

In all of this work, and indeed in all the work done 
by the pupils, be very sure to examine what they do. 
Use the markings given elsewhere in this book. 

The teacher should have in his possession some good 
book on Language, in order to follow up successfully the 
work already begun. 

It is best, and at the same time appropriate, to give 
a certain amount of Language work in this division that 
shall develop some of the primary ideas of Geography. 
After a little drill it is an excellent plan to write sen- 
tences containing blanks to be copied, filled, and read 
in class. 

The light is called , and the darkness , 

Days are long in , and short in . 

Winter evenings are than summer . 



The day begins at , and has hours. 

A desk is at my • hand and a table at my — 

My teacher is in of me and the door at the 

I live here, but Fanny lives . 

The wind blows from the to-day. 

The sun rises in the and sets in the . 



My shadow falls toward the at noon, toward 

the in the morning, and toward the at the 

time of sunset. 

Continue this at pleasure. 

If the teacher thinks best he should permit his Primary 
pupils to enter the class in oral Geography outlined in 
the Intermediate Division of this book. Second Reader 
pupils will thus get some clear ideas of the first steps 
in Geography. 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 129 



COMPARISONS. 

Have pupils fill out the blanks with appropriate words 
in the following list. Write the list in a column on the 
board, also the sentences with blanks; let the children 
combine them. Talk about each one of these sentences, 
bring out the meaning clearly, and do not try to talk of 
more than two or three at one time. 



bat 

bee 

crow 

kitten 

lead 

silk 

valley 

ink 



fox 

lion 

monkey 

eagle 

lamb 

honey 

gold 

crystal 



As shy as a . 

As strong as a . 

As mischievous as a 

As cunning as a 

As busy as a . 

As black as a . 

As swift as an . 

As stubborn as a — 

As blind as a . 

As slow as a . 

As light as a — — . 

As quick as a . 

As lively as a . 

As heavy as . 

As sour as — . 



ox grass 

razor day 

hare glass 

iron valley 

night grater 

sky gall 

blood mountain 

snow valley 

As high as a — 
As low as a — 
— . As smooth as - 
As rough as a - 
As green as — 
As white as — 

As black as 

As red as . 



As blue as the 

As hard as 

As soft as 

As sharp as — 

As clear as 

As sweet as - — 
As bitter as — 



mule 

snail 

vinegar 

cricket 

flash 

feather 

lead 

snow 



1 30 How to Grade and TeacJi a Conntjy School, 



As light as — 
As timid as a 
As good as — 



As dark as -. 

As tough as an - 
As innocent as a 



Write a few words each day upon the board from the 
following list, have the pupils give the plurals. Then 
write the plurals and have pupils give the singular, and 
vice versa: 



ant 


bed 


boy 


dinner 


goat 


jar 


apple 




broom 


dish 


girl 


lamp 


ax 


burr 


bell 


dipper 


hat 


lamb 


bat 


bucket 


cap 


board 


hand 


land 


cat 


bonnet 


car 


finger 


horse 


lap 


can 
barn 


cent 
carpet 


cow 
dog 


face 
fire 


hog 
ink 




mat 


box 




duck 


fan 


jug 


moon 



Outline of Study for Primary Division 



I ^i 



Place this or a s-imilar form upon the board; have the 
pupils copy the sentences and mark the vowels as shown 
by the marked vowels at the left. 



y 


This is a mill. 

Willy, where is your cap? 


e 


I fed my hen. 


ii 



The bee hums. 

Some of the boys will come. 




do 
u 


The book is by me. 

The wool is cut from the sheep. 

The school is full. 


a 


I am happy. 


a 


The dog barks. 


a 


Ask the boy for his knife. 


6 
a 


The ox eats grass. 
He was here. 


a 
e 


The gate is shut. 
I am eight years old. 


a 

e 


The air is cool. 
There are six left. 


e 

1 
11 


I saw her. 
The bird sings. 
The cat has fur. 


u 


The bird sings in June. 



32 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



ax 


bear 


eye 


ant 


box 


inn 


awl 


boy 


oven 


ape 


bonnet 


axle 


apple 


boot 


hour 



The use of a or an. 

Let the teacher make a list of words similar to the 
following; have the pupils write them, placing a or an 
before each. Have them then form these into senten- 
ces, using a or an: 

orange inch deer 

owl oil-can elk 

organ idle boy ear 

ark elephant leech 

lark lion horse 

For busy work at seats have pupils make two columns 
on their slates; in one let them copy the first ten words 
of the following list in the left column; in the right let 
them copy the word of opposite meaning. Do not by 
any means neglect to ijispect this work. 
them too much at a time: 

south 

west 

cold 

warm 

down 

out 

mother 

girl 

wild 

slow 

shut 

poor 

good 

Tell what each does by filling the following blanks by 
the appropriate words: 



up 


down 


open 


hot 


cold 


deep 


east 


wet 


slow 


north 


big 


tame 


left 


tall 


go 


top 


boy 


black 


old 


father 


dark 


right 


day 


night 


day 


in 


wrong 


light 


run 


new 


white 


loud 


young 


come 


dry 


bottom 


large 


little 


right 



vork. 


Do not give 


kind 


dull 


hard 


last 


thick 


ceiling 


well 


back 


head 


rich 


front 


bad 


floor 


foot 


first 


soft 


man 


unkind 


sharp 


round 


white 


sunrise 


larger 


land 


empty 


alive 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 133 

The bell The Parrot The rooster 

The boys The cat - The dove 

The bees Horses The crow 

Geese Peacocks - The hen 

Birds The robin Larks 

The duck says ; Lambs 

The bobolink says 

We , , , 

Write questions like the following on the board, have 
the children copy, and teach them to answer in the 
affirmative, using the correct verb. 

In a short time all that will be necessary to do will be 
to write the verb on the board, as the pupils will be 
able to write their own questions: 

Did you go out to-day? 

Answer. — Yes, I went out to-day. 

Did you see the girl? 

Yes, I sav/ the girl. 



d you buy a pencil? 

d John light the lamp? 

d Mary find her doll? 

d Albert give his dog a dinner? 

d Robert leave the room? 

d Robert run to school? 

d you study your lesson? 

d Emma fan the baby? 

d Mrs. Stevens make the dress? 

d the cat drink the milk? 

d Mr. Stoner ring the bell? 

d Mary wring the clothes? 

d Lucy write her lesson? 

d Bobby fall down stairs? 



134 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

Did John throw the ball? 
Did Charles hang up the hat? 
Did your sister cry for the orange? 
Did the cat catch the rat? 
Did Ida hem the ruffle? 
Did Annie sweep the room? 
Did James shoot the bird? 
Did the dogs fight in the street? 
Did the boy strike the dog? 
Did the dog bite the girl? 
Did Eva tear her apron? 
Did the fish swim in the river? 
Did the baby sleep well? 
Did they choose you on their side? 
Did the horse lie down? 
Did you rise early this morning? 
Did the weight sink the bucket? 
Did the rat eat the salt? 
Did the boy ride the horse? 
Did the man know his son? 

Let the children answer these questions on their 
slates. 

What is your name? 

How old are you? 

Where do you live? 

Where were you born? 

How many brothers have you? 

How many sisters have you? 

What is your father's first name? 

What is your mother's first name? 

What school do you attend? 

What is your teacher's name? 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 135 

What do you study? 

What study do you like best? 

What do you do at home? 

In what country do you live? 

In what state do you live? 

In what city or town do you live? 

In what county do you live? 

Require pupils to tell the story of the lesson, using 
their own language, as much as possible. 

The teacher will copy on the blackboard the sen- 
tences in which the new words appear, leaving blank 
the places occupied by the new words, which are to be 
filled by the pupil from memory: as, "My mamma gave 
it to me." The new word is "mamma." The sentence 

should be written on the board, "My gave it 

to me. " 

As pupils progress have them make lists of names of 
familiar objects, and spell from slates, noting the person 
who has the neatest list. 

Teachers should have weak pupils point out certain 
difficult words in a given paragraph, then pronounce 
them as the teacher finds them, before reading. 

Make up such questions as the following from the 
reader; specimen blanks are also given: 

I can make cat out of a t c. What can you make 
out of o g d? 

O, I can make out of o d g. 

Now, what can you make out of a p n? 

I can make — — out of a p n. 

So can I. And a p n will make , too. 

Here are w O C What will they make? 



136 How to Grade and Teach a Cottntry School, 

They will make . Now you tell me what 1 i k m 

will make. 

I can do that. They will make . Can you tell 

me what 1 i g r will make? 

Let me see. O, yes. They will make . 

Copy this, putting capitals and periods, in the right 
place. 

thedogisblackhisnameisjackthecatisblacktooablackcat 
andablackdogliveinthehouseilikethemverymuchastheyar 
egoodfriendstome. 

Do a little of this work for a change; when com- 
pleted inspect slates, or what is better read it, naming 
capitals and pauses. 

It is an excellent plan to construct short sentences 
as in above and insert words containing the apostrophe, 
thus: my dog's name is not snap is your dog named 
snap how big is your dog. 

Place such lessons upon the board as this, and 
require them copied in correct form: 

The cow g — ves m — Ik; from m — Ik we m — ke b — tt 
— r etc. 

Copy on the slates, arranging into words and sen- 
tences: 

I aveh a odg. eH si a dogo odg. eH psaly wthi 
em. eH nac karb nad nur. He illw ton iteb. oD 
ouy ees ym odg? eH eess you. Where si ouyr odg? 

Fill blanks, using the possessive sign: 

1. The ball is lost. 

2. The balls are lost. 

3. Was the dress torn? 

4. Were the dresses torn? 

5. Is the nest built? 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 137 

6. Are the nests built? 

7. The bill is sharp. 

8. The bills are sharp. 

9. The tail is long. 

10. The tails are long. 

I J The knife cost less than the doll. 

Fill as in preceding, using the word man, woman, 
childy goose, or mice. 

1. The coat is worn out. 

2. The coats are worn out. 

3. Is the bonnet costly? 

4. Are the bonnets costly? 

5. Was the toy in the box? 

6. Were the toys in the box? 

7. Did the cat see the tail? 

8. How many tails did the cat see? 

9. A ^gg is larger than a hen's Q%g. 

10. eggs are larger than hens' eggs. 

11. hats do not cost as much as bonnets, 

but they cost more than shoes. 

Write columns of words omitting the vowels, thus: 

d— g, g d, s— n, P— P— r, — nk, 

c — t, h — rt, St— r, p — n, q 11, 

h — n, j — g, m n, — nd, c — p, 

r— n, r, gr — ss, g — n, f— nc — . 

Inspect slates with care. 

Such a system as this applied to difficult words in the 
reading lesson, will secure accurate spelling when other 
methods fail; try it. 

Suppose you have the following paragraph: 

I. The grass and the meadow-flowers stood tall in 
the fields, and the time for making hay was near. 



13B How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

2. "Life is short," said a dandelion to her neigh- 
bors. "Men love to gaze on us; but they are so grasp- 
ing that, because they think they can get a little more 
money out of us when we are dead and dried, to work 
goes the scythe, and down we must go." 

From this you might write: 

m d — w=:fl — w — rs, sc — th — , 

m— k— ng, gr— sp— ng, 

dr d, d — wn, 

f Ids, n ghb — rs. 

m — n — y, d d. 

Name the first letter of these words; when named, 
call then the initial letter of the name: 
Tom boy Charles Frank 

Mary window Claude fan 

John box Walter box 

James room Eva Olive 

Give the initials of these words: 
John Godfrey Saxe. Abraham Lincoln. 

James Abram Garfield. George Washington. 

William Harvey. James Richardson. 

Write these names correctly: 
U. S. grant. roger Williams. John adams. 

John h. Payne. Frank taylor. franklin Pierce. 

Chicago, ill. Robert day. 

1. Write your full name. 

2. Write your initials. 

3. Write your surname and put before it the initials 
of your Christian name. 

4. Write the name of the place, state and county 
in which you live. 

Learn to name and write the names of the days, and 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 139 



names of the months, also of noted days of the year, 
such as: 

New Year's Day. Good Friday. Easter. 
Fourth of July. Christmas. Thanksgiving Day. 

Take a word, like the word cat, pronounce it in the 
ordinary way, cat. Then pronounce the word, drawl- 



ing it more and more, thus: 



dog 
d^o-^ 
[d] [o] 



[g] 



hog cat 

h^^o^^g c^^a^t 

[h] [o] [g] [c] [a] [t] 

Take a few words from the following list, write them 
upon the board, have the pupils give the plurals. 
Then write the plurals, having the children give the 
singular. Do this until they are thoroughly learned. 



ant 


car 


face 


lamb 


part 


apple 


cat 


fire 


land 


pen 


ark 


crack 


fan 


lap 


pet 


ax 


carpet 


frame 


lamp 


pig 


back 


cent 


flame 


man 


play 


bat 


cellar 


gate 


mat 


plum 


ball 


coat 


game 


meat 


peach 


barn 


cob 


girl 


meal 


pear 


basket 


cog 


goat 


moon 


rat 


bell 


collar 


hat 


month 


ray 


bench 


comma 


hay 


mule 


rain 


bed 


corner 


hand 


name 


roll 


bill 


day 


horse 


nail 


rule 


bird 


date 


hog 


neck 


step 


bit 


dinner 


hen 


nest 


top 


box 


dipper 


inch 


oak 


toy 


bonnet 


dish 


ink 


oar 


tool 



40 How to Grade and TeacJi a Country School. 



boy 


board 


broom 


doctor 


bucket 


dog 


can 


duck 


man 


loaf 


knife 


mouse 


goose 


wolf 


sheaf 


louse 


fly 


baby 


beauty 


story 


cherry 


duty 



oat 


vine 


ore 


way 


owl 


will 


pan 


wire 


shelf 


life 


calf 


wife 


child 


foot 


tooth 


woman 


study 


lady 


city 


sky 


ring 


finger 



jail 

jug 

lad 

leaf 

half 

thief 

ox 

pony 

berry 

cap 

Teach the use of this and tJiat, these and those, with 
the singular and plural forms. 

The following can be carried out indefinitely. 
Change this in these sentences to these and write the 
sentences correctly. 

1. This ball is round. 

2. This box is square. 

3. This paper is white. 

Use those instead of that in these sentences. 
That apple is red. 
That horse is large. 
That man is good. 
That cow gives milk. 

Supply this or these, that or those, in the blanks 
below. 

pen is bad. 

boys are cold. 

slate is mine. 

trees are full of apples. 

girls have done well. 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 141 

Make use of was and were in the same manner; also, 
have and Jias. 

Words of the same pronunciation, but of different 
spelling, may be arranged in this manner, thus: Use 
to, too or tivo in these sentences: 

1. I went the table. 

2. The pig is • fat to run. 

3. You have eyes, ears, hands and 

feet. 

The teacher will write sentences with blanks to be 
filled by pupils, thus teaching the correct use and spell- 
ing of this list of difficult words. Do not go too 
rapidly, but be very thorough as far as you go. Be 
sure that the pupils see clearly the difference in mean- 
ing, and that they are able to apply the words properly. 
Make sentences and use all the following as per model 
given above. 

The list appended includes most of the words known 
to First and Second Reader pupils. 



be 


bee 


blew 


blue 


pail 


pale 


dear 


deer 


brake 


break 


tail 


tale 


eye 


I 


buy 


by 


threw 


through 


hear 


here 


coarse 


course 


whole 


hole 


hour 


our 


fore 


four 


won 


one 


knows 


nose 


flour 


flower 


ware 


wear 


knot 


not 


ring 


wring 
( rowed 


hair 


hare 


meat 


meet 


rode 


( road 


heal 


heel 


right 


write 


rose 


rows 


sell 


cell 


read 


red 


sail 


sale 


told 


tolled 


son 


sun 


sea 


see 


wade 


weighed 



142 How to Grade and TeacJi a Country School. 



lo 


( too 
( two 


some 


sum 


seam 


seem 
^ sew 


their 


there 


sent 


cent 


so 


^ sow 


wood 


would 


grate 


great 


toe 


tow 


aunt 


ant 


knew 


new 


m 


mn 


ate 


eight 


lain 


lane 


mail 


male 


stair 
steal 


stare 
steel 


lead 
made 


led 
maid 


right 
you 


write 
yew 


bare 


bear 


pair 


^ pare 
( pear 


might 


mite 



Fill these blanks; use slates; inspect: 



A- 
A- 
A - 
A - 
A- 
A - 
A - 
A- 
A- 
A- 
A- 
An 
An 
A - 



is a young dog. 
is a young sheep, 
is a young goat, 
is a young cat. 
is a young cow. 
is a young horse, 
is a young lion, 
is a young bear, 
is a young tiger, 
is a young goose, 
is a young duck. 

- is a young eagle, 

- is a young owl. 
is a young fox. 



In order to secure close gradation, each new word on 
its appearance in the lesson should be placed for several 
days on the blackboard and left there until the pupil 
has become familiar with it. 

Pupils should never be shown incorrect forms, nor 
should their attention be called to a word when written 
incorrectly. Simply say, "This is wrong," and erase it, 
having it rewritten. 

"Make haste slowly. " Do not attempt too much in 
beginning with a new word. Teach the one word very 



Outlitic of Study for Primary Division. 



143 



thoroughly before passing to the next. Take groups 
of easy words used by the child and write them on the 
board, thus: 

It is a . Fill the blank with words known by 

the pupils. Have them read the sentence holding or 
seeing the object. Thus, the teacher holding a book, 
"This is a book. " 

Write the following on the board, and have pupils read 
and copy: 



It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 



It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 
It is a 





is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 




is 


a 



We clip an entire lesson from a Second Reader for 
the purpose of illustrating what may be done in the way 
of questioning and answering: 



BRAVE LITTLE KATE. 



ago 


bridge 


beam 


across 


brook 


station 


train 


reach 


nearest 


torn 


railroad 


fainting 



stormy 
engine 
lantern 
.j^ worse (wurs) 

1. I am going to tell you a true story of a brave 
little girl. 

2. Near a large town in a new part of our country 
there is a place where a railroad track crosses a brook 
on a high bridge. 



144 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

3. Not far from this bridge lives the little girl I am 
going to tell you about. Her name is Kate. 

4- One stormy night not long ago, as little Kate 
stood looking out of the window, watching for her 
father to come home, she saw that a train was coming 
along the track. 

5. She could not see the cars, — the night was too 
dark for that, — but she could see the bright light on the 
front of the engine. 

6. While the little girl was looking, and just as the 
train had got to the brook near by, all at once the 
engine light seemed to fall and go out. 

7. Kate looked again, but no light was to be seen. 
Then the little girl was afraid that something was wrong. 

8. She got a lantern, and ran down towards the 
railroad track. When she got there she found that the 
bridge was gone, — that the rain had washed it away. 

9. Then Kate knew that far below in the foaming 
water lay the engine and the train she had seen from the 
window. 

10. Now, Kate had often watched the trains go by, 
so she knew just when to look for them. 

11. As she stood there by the broken bridge, it 
came into her mind that another train would soon come 
rushing along. 

12. The brave girl made up her mind to save this 
other train if she could. She started to run back to the 
nearest station, a mile away. 

13. To reach this station she had to cross a long, 
high bridge over a broad river. 

14. It is not easy to cross this bridge even in the 
daytime; and this was night, — a dark, stormy night. 



Outline of Study for Priuiary Division. 145 

Worse than all, just as Kate got to the bridge the wind 
blew out the light in her lantern. 

15. But little Kate did not give up. The brave girl 
crept along the beams on her hands and knees, till she 
reached the other side of the river. Then she jumped 
to her feet, and ran on again till she came to the station. 

16. Her clothes were torn and wet, and she could 
hardly speak. All she could say was, "Stop the train! 
stop the train!" Then she fell fainting to the ground. 

17. Kate was just in time. In a minute more the 
cars came along, and the men at the station ran out 
and stopped them. 

18. Was not Kate a brave girl? Think of all the 
people in the cars; men and women and children! and 
all of them saved by one little girl! 

How glad they were, and how happy Kate was! 

19. Children, how much good even a little girl can 
do if she is quick to think and brave to act! 

I. What is this lesson about? 2. Is this story a 
true one? 3. Are there other kinds of stories? 4. 
Was the little girl afraid? 5. Did she live in town? 
6. Did she live near the town? 7. What was near her 
house? 8. What was over the brook? 9. What is a 
bridge? 10. What crossed the bridge? 11. Why 
was the bridge high? 12. What is meant by a "new 
part of our country?" 13. What is the name of our 
country? 14. Do you think it was in this state? 15. 
Why? 16. Mark the vowels in going, brave, near. 
17. Yxo\\owx\Q.^ little, tell. 18. Give the sounds sep- 
arately. 19. What letters are not sounded? 20. What 
do you call such letters? 21. How do you mark them? 

I. What is her name? 2. Was herfather living? 3. Was 



146 How to Grade and TcacJi a Country School. 

he at home? 4. Where was she Saturday? 5. What 
was she doing? 6. What time was it? 7. Is night part 
of the day? 8. What kind of night was it? 9. What 
did she see? 10. How could she see it? 11. What is 
the light on the front of the engine called? 12. When 
did the light seem to go out? 13. Do you know why? 
14. What did Kate think about it? 15. What did she 
do? 16. What did she find? 17. How could the rain 
wash the bridge away? 18. Where was the train and 
engine? 19. What is an engine? a train? cars? track? 
20, Mark the words ^r^V///, //>///. 21. Pronounce them. 
22. What letters are not sounded? 23. How do you 
mark them ? 24. Give the sound of a in aud^ that, train. 

I. Would any more trains go by? 2. Did Kate know 
this? 3. Why did she know it? 4. Did she know when 
the next train would be along? 5. What would happen 
to the next train? 6. Did Kateknow this? 7. What did 
shetrytodo? 8. Where did she start for? 9. How far 
was it? 10. What must she cross? 11. Was this easy 
to do? 12. Why was it harder to do by night?. 13. 
What became of her lantern? 14. Did she give up 
then? 15. How did she get across? 16. What is the 
meaning of rushing-, foaming, nearest, station? 17. 
Mark rushing, foaming, nearest. 18. Pronounce knew, 
another, could, soon. 19. Give their distinct sounds. 

I. What did she do then? 2. How were her clothes 
when she reached the station? 3. Why could she 
hardly speak? 4. What did she say? 5. What then 
happened? 6. Was she in time? 7. What did the 
men do? 8. Was the train saved? 9. Were any per- 
sons saved? 10. How do you know? 11. Did this 
make Kate happy? 12. Why do you call her brave? 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 147 

13. Why was she able to save them? 14. Define/rt;/;//- 
ing, minute, saved, brave. 15. Mark all the sounds in 
eame, much, think. 16. Pronounce children, women, 
minute, reached, kneiv. 17. Give the sounds in these 
words. 

The above questions are presented to indicate what 
may be done in the way of questioning; answers to 
these questions should be written upon the slates and 
read in the class; thus one pupil rises, names the number 
of the question, reads it, then reads his answer; others 
criticise and read. 

NUMBERS. 

Book. — In the hands of the teacher only. 

Object. — To learn all the combinations ("after Grube 
applied in the concrete,") of numbers to 10. (Many 
excellent teachers will secure all the combinations to 
20, but we prefer to say 10, since the average teacher 
will do but little more than this in the allotted time.) 

The instruction in Numbers for the first two years of 
the child's school life should be purely objective, and is 
best presented orally. Not until the pupil has mastered 
the combinations of the numbers to 10, inclusive, should 
he be permitted to use a Primary Arithmetic. It is 
customary throughout the land to place the book into 
the hands of the pupil when he first enters school; this 
is a mistake, and should be remedied as soon as possible. 
If the pupils possess the books they should be permitted 
to use them as the teacher may direct, but they should 
be subordinate to the necessary oral drill. The pupiTs 
use of the arithmetic does not belong in this division, 
and can be dropped as readily as the speller. 



148 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

The teacher should supply himself with numerous 
objects of convenient sizes, of different colors, shapes, 
&c. Blocks, shells, beans, buttons, pebbles, wooden 
toothpicks, straws cut to uniform lengths, pieces of 
cardboard, &c. ; it will add to the interest in the work 
to ask them to find red, yellow and white ears of corn 
to be used in securing counters. It is well to ask your 
dry goods dealer to preserve his thread boxes for you, 
and when obtained use them as receptacles for the 
objects used. 

You should cut some pasteboard strips for the pur- 
pose of making the arithmetical signs; they should be 
about two inches in length by one-fourth of an inch in 
breadth, and might appear thus: 



These strips can be used to good advantage some- 
what after the following manner, viz: you wish to show 
that I + I =2; require or rather show the pupil how he 
can }nake the picture of this upon his desk by using the 
strips and his objects, thus: 



By changing the signs the child will soon become 
interested m making the pictures with the- objects, and 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 149 

will exhibit as much interest in reading them as he 
hams to make them; a class of beginners will makeXki^ 
pictures as you put the formulas upon the board, 
eagerly r^a^ them when made, and diligently write the 
language q{ same after rrW///^, thus: "i bean + i bean 
= 2 beans, " " i grain + i grain = 2 grains, " &c. , owing 
to the objects used. (For the sign of division place a 
square block upon each side of the strip of card board.) 
The teacher should secure some buttons of different 
colors, some broom wire, (for ten cents the former may 
be had in sufficient quantity, and the latter may be 
secured by removing it from a worn out broom,) a half 
dozen screws, and a screw-driver. (Beg (?) the former 
and borrow the latter.) Thus equipped, place the 
screws about four inches apart, upon either side of the 
window casing, place ten buttons upon each wire, dis- 
tributing the colors to suit your taste. (To make this 
outfit complete you should have ten wires and one 
huJtdredhwttQns.) These buttons can be used at the 
will of the teacher as the abacus is used. (See dic- 
tionary.) 

When the teacher becomes thoroughly interested, he 
may succeed in having his directors to arm the top of a 
few desks (those used by the primary pupils of course) 
with some such device as the following: Take a gimlet 
and bore a couple of holes about eighteen inches apart; 
place ten counters upon a strong wire, and bend its 
ends at right angles to itself; pass these ends through 
thread spools, thence through the gimlet holes, and 
secure beneath the top of the desk by bending tightly 
against it; use this for actual object work by the pupil. 
The teacher should call upon an insurance agent, 



lr50 How to Grade and Teach a Coimiry School. 

secure some calendars, cut them into such pieces as will 
secure all the digits and many duplicates; place these 
in pill-boxes, (to be had of the druggist) and use 
instead of beans, buttons, corn etc. Thus, "5 + 3=8." 
(If calendars of suitable kind cannot be had, use 
almanacs for same purpose.) 

Teach the Roman notation no faster than the child 
progresses in his reader, but for a time make all the 
combinations with this notation. It is well to write the 
Roman notation upon cards or writing paper, cut into 
squares and distribute to class. Use these numbers as 
in the Arabic notation. 

Wooden tooth-picks, matches (with phosphorus re- 
moved) strips of card-board etc., may be used for 
/;/rt/C^/;/^ the letters used in the Roman notation; thus: 
II, V, VI, X, etc. 

Pin-cushions and pins may be made to serve a good 
purpose in illustrating number work; in the absence of 
the former the pupil may be asked to furnish a slice 
from the potato, and use it instead. In fact, use any- 
thing at your command, to aid you in doing tJioroiigJi 
work. Never permit the child to pass a number until 
he is thoroughly grounded in all its combinations 
together with numbers below it. 

Shoe pegs are the cheapest objects for number work, 
since a quart of them may be had for a few pennies. 
The little pill-boxes furnish the best receptacles for 
these also. 

When in town visit the printing office, ask the printer 
if he has any strips of card board not needed; usually 
you will find him glad to give you large bundles of 
such, upon which you may write as many of the digits 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 151 

as desired; now cut these to suit your own convenience 
and use as suggested. 

Little problems may be written upon these slips, and 
passed to pupils for solution. The problem might 
appear thus: 



3 + 2=? 



4— 2=r=: 



Have pupils recite this in the abstract and the con- 
crete; then have them form problems from the formulas, 
thus: 'T had three cows and bought two more, how 
many cows have I?" "Mary had four buttons and lost 
two, how many had she left"? "Since my cap cost 3 
dollars, how many could I have purchased for 9 dollars"? 

Since tJiere is no danger of omitting abstract number 
ivork in the Intermediate and Advanced Divisions, it is 
well to give muck attention to the application of numbers 
in the concrete. 



OCTOBER. — THE NUMBERS I AND 2. 

Since the pupil usually knows the numbers one ^Xi6. 
two on entering school, they are treated together and 
somewhat briefly. 

1. Hold up one hand. Say one. 

2. Hold up two hands. Say two. 

This (i) is one and this (2) is two. (Writing the 
Arabic characters for i and 2 upon the board.) Pupils 
write i; write 2; write each in script. Teacher print 
them. Have pupils find them on the printed page. 

How many eyes have I? How many ears? Hands? 
Noses? Mouths? Necks? Chins? Thumbs? Cheeks? 



152 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchcoL 

Tongues? Books? Pencils? Feet? Right hands? Left 
hands? 

Make the figure i on your slate. Make it twice. 

Make the figure 2 on your slate. Make it twice. 

How many I's have you? How many 2's? 

2. Count 2. Count by 2's to 6; by 2's to 8; by 2's 
to 10. 

Count lO by 2's. Count back to 2 from lO by 2's. 

Count back to o from lo by 2's. Count to I2 by 2's. 

Count S by 2's (how many lelt?) Count the eyes in 
this class by 2's. The ears. (Have pupil walk from 
one pupil to the other and point to the objects selected.) 
The thumbs. The mouths. The noses. The pupils. 
(Have the pupil counting to set them aside in groups of 
2's.) The lines on this board by 2's. These pencils by 
2's. These beans. These grains of corn. These 

buttons. The buttons upon 's dress. Upon 

's coat. 

3. Once I is I. Two I's are how many? One 2 is 
how many? Take two grains of corn; how many 2's? 
Two beans; how many 2's? Write two i's; two 2's. 
One and i are how many? Two times i are how many? 

Place this upon the board, and have pupils illustrate 
by means of the strips of card-board, the beans, or 
corn. 
1 + 1= 0+1= 2x1= 2 — I — 1= 2 — i + i — 1 = 

1 — 1= I X 1= 1x2= 2 — 1 + 1= i + i — 1 = 

Have pupils say, "i bean and i bean are two beans" 
as they make the picture upon the desk. When this is 
well done have them translate their pictures into 1 + 1 = 

2 upon the slates, then read it; do this repeatedly until 
the combinations are mastered. 



Outline of Stjidy for Primary Division. 153 

4. 2 is I more than what number? i is i less than 
what number? 2 is twice what number? 2 is double of 
what number? i is a half of what number? What 
number is the double of i ? How many i 's can you take 
from 2? 2 times i are how many? A half of 2 is what? 
(Illustrate.) Write this upon the board and treat as 



before: 2 — i = i/ 

Hoiu many are: 

1 and I ? 6 and 

2 and 1 ? 7 and 

3 and I ? 8 and 

4 and I ? 9 and 

5 and I ? 10 and 

How many 2's in 8? 

4? 

10? 

6? 

2? 

12? 

8 are how many 2's? 

4 ** '* " " ? 

6 " '' " '' ? 

10 " " '' ' ? 



of 2 = 






2 less I? 

3 less I ? 

4 less I ? 

5 less I ? 

6 less I ? 



1 + 1 = 
2 — 1 = 
2x1 = 

^ of 2=z 
2-J-2= 
2-1-1 = 

1 — 

2 

2 



7 less I ? 

8 less I ? 

9 less I ? 

10 less I? 

1 1 less I ? 



/0= 



1 + 



2 + 



'' ' ? 2 into 2= \9= 

Have above copied upon the slates with results when 
the pupil has had sufficient preparatory drill. 

For slate. (To be copied from board with results.) 



y, of 2= 


yi of 4= 


y2 of 6= 


% of 8= 


i^ of 10= 


y of 12= 


i^ of 10 cents=: 


y of 6 boys:^ 


i^ of 2 fish= 



i^ of 8 birds= 

1 dime4- i dimer= 

2 yards + 2 yards=r 
2x2 dimes::= 



^ of 12 apples= y2 of4eggs= 
2 dimes — 1 dime= 
I foot+ I footer 

2 in. — 2 in.= i cent x 2=:= 



1 54 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

6-r-2r= 8-f-2=n 2-^-2= 8 — 2= 4 2= 2 in. X 2=t 

4-^2= IO-^-2:= lO — 2=: 2 — 2^ 6 — 2 = 

Teacher continue at pleasure. 

How many 2's in 4? In 6? In 8? In 10? In 12? 
How many //<3:/7;^^ in I ? In 2? In 3? In 4? In 5? 
How many pints in I quart? In 4? In 2? How many 
feet have two boys? Four boys? Three girls? 

Continue this until you are certain that the pupil can- 
not be mistaken in any combination of the numbers one 
and tivo. 

The teacher is here urged to secure two or three of the 
late arithmetics. Number One, and to apply every thing 
suggested, in his teaching of numbers. The best course 
in numbers will be that gleaned front several authors. 
If the teacher will but ''go slozvly " enough and secure 
enough practice, he will surely succeed in primary 
arithmetic. 

When the numbers, one and tzvo, are 'learned begin 
at once upon the number three. Do not wait' until 
examination day as this is but minimum work for the 
average school. 

NOVEMBER. — THE NUMBERS 3 AND 4. 

Treat these numbers as suggested for the numbers 
one and two. Be very careful to know that everything 
is understood as you progress; better spend some time 
upon one single step and have it well understood than 
to attempt more than the pupil can master. 

After the pupil thoroughly understands the processes 
of combining the number three, dwell upon such ques- 
tions as the following, viz: 



Outline of Study for Primary Di%nsioji. 15^ 

1. Three books are two books and book, or 

one book and books. 

2. Three beans less two beans are bean; three 

blocks less block are blocks. 

3. Three calves are one calf, one calf, and calf. 

Treat the number four in the same manner, but 

quite fully. 

Search your authors for suggestive blackboard helps; 
keep up the constant use of the slate in the preparation 
of the lesson. This can only be done by having some 
work outlined upon the board. Alzvays inspect the 
slates; unless you do this the pupil will grow careless 
and produce slovenly work. Go slowly. 

"Haste not, rest not." 







SEAT 


WORK. 






How many are : 


Read and complete 


.* 


I and 


3? 


4 less 3? 


1+3= 




4—3= 


2 and 


3? 


5 less 3? 


2 + 3= 




5—3= 


3 and 


3? 


6 less 3? 


3 + 3= 




6-3= 


4 and 


3? 


7 less 3? 


4 + 3= 




7—3= 


5 and 


3? 


8 less 3? 


5 + 3= 




8-3= 


6 and 


3? 


9 less 3? 


6 + 3= 




9—3= 


7 and 


3? 


10 less 3? 


7 + 3= 




10—3= 


8 and 


3? 


1 1 less 3? 


8 + 3= 




11—3= 


9 and 


3? 


12 less 3? 


9 + 3= 




12—3= 


10 and 


3? 


13 less 3? 


IO-t-3=r 




13—3= 


How many are : 








I and 2 


;? 


2 and I? 


I from 3? 


2 


from 3? 


I and I 


'P 


3 and I? 


I from 4? 


3 


from 4? 


2 and 2 
I and A 


; p 




2 from 4? 
I from 5? 






^? 


4 and I? 


4 


from 5? 



56 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



2 and 3? 


3 and 2? 


2 from 5? 


3 from 5? 


I and 5? 


5 and I? 


I from 6? 


5 from 6? 


2 and 4? 


4 and 2? 


2 from 6? 


4 from 6? 


3 and 3? 
I and 6? 




3 from 6? 
I from 7? 




6 and i ? 


6 from 7? 


2 and 5? 


5 and 2? 


2 from 7? 


5 from 7? 


3 and 4? 


4 and 3? 


3 from 7? 


4 from 7? 


Hozv many 


are: 


Read and complete : 


I and 4? 


5 less 4? 


1+4= 


5—4= 


2 and 4? 


6 less 4? 


2+4= 


6—4= 


3 and 4? 


7 less 4? 


3+4= 


7—4= 


4 and 4? 


8 less 4? 


4 + 4= 


8—4=3 


5 and 4? 


9 less 4? 


5+4= 


9—4= 


6 and 4? 


10 less 4? 


6 + 4=rz: 


10—4— 


7 and 4? 


1 1 less 4? 


7+4= 


11—4= 


8 and 4? 


12 less 4? 


8+4= 


12— 4=r 


9 and 4? 


13 less 4? 


9 + 4= 


13—4= 


10 and 4? 


14 less 4? 


10 + 4 — 


14—4= 


//(S'w many 


<^?'^ / 






I and 2? 


3 less 2? 


I time I ? 


I in I? 


2 and 2? 


4 less 2? 


2 times I ? 


I in 2? 


3 and 2? 


5 less 2? 


3 times I ? 


I in 3? 


4 and 2? 


6 less 2? 


4 times I ? 


1 in 4? 


5 and 2? 


7 less 2? 


5 times i ? 


I in 5? 


6 and 2? 


8 less 2? 


6 times i ? 


I in 6? 


7 and 2? 


9 less 2? 


7 times I ? 


I in 7? 


8 and 2? 


10 less 2? 


8 times i? 


I in 8? 


9 and 2? 


II less 2? 


9 times I? 


I in 9? 


10 and 2? 


12 less 2? 


10 times I? 


I in 10? 


I time 2? 


2 times 2? 


2 in 2? 


2 in 4? 


3 times 2? 


4 times 2? 


3 in 6? 


2 in 8? 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 157 



5 times 2? 6 times 2? 2 in 10? 

7 times 2? 8 times 2? 2 in 14? 

9 times 2? 10 times 2? 2 in 18? 

Copy ajid fill : 

1x2 = 2 2^2 = 

2x2= 4-f-2 = 

3x2= 6-^-2 = 

4x2= 8-J-2 = 

5X2= 10-^2 = 

6x2= 12-^2 = 

7x2= l4-i-2 = 

8x2= 16-^2 = 

9x2= 18-^-2 = 

10x2= 20-^-2 = 

1 time 3? 3 in 3? 

2 times 3? 3 in 6? 

3 times 3? 3 in 9? 

4 times 3? 3 in 12? 
15-^3= 4^4=1 

9x3= 8-^4 = 

7x3= 12^4 = 

4x 2 = 
4x3 = 
4x4= 



3x 1 = 
3x2 = 
3x3 = 
3x4 = 
3x5 = 
3 x6 = 
2x 3 = 
6-f-3 = 
4x3 = 
i2H-3 = 
i8-f-3 = 



2 in 12? 
2 in 16? 
2 in 20? 



3x2 = 
6-^2 = 

5X2 = 
IO-^2 = 

7x2 = 

I4-^2 = 

8x2 = 

16^2 = 

9x 2 = 

18-1-2 = 

3-^3 = 

6-^3 = 

9^3 = 

i2-f-3 = 

15^3 = 

I8-^3 = 

9-^3 = 

12-^3 = 

6x3 = 



When the number four is learned begin the "Yankee 
Multiplication Table" thus: 

The pupil should be shown how to con- 
struct this table and be required to recite 
it in the concrete, thus: "2x1 ox = 2 
oxen;" "2 x 2 sheep = 4 sheep; " 2 x 3 birds 
= 6 birds;" 2 x 4 co •.vs^=:8 cows, " 



I 


2 


3 


4 


2 


4 


6 


8 


3 


6 


9 


12 


4 


8 


12 


16 



158 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

At first require pupils to use the names of objects 
within the room; when these are exhausted require the 
names of animals having four feet, later those having 
two feet, those that swim, those that crawl, &c. Pupils 
will like this. Encourage them to extend the table to 
five provided they can construct it with accuracy. Do 
not stop when this is completed, but pass to the num- 
bers five and six. 

DECEMBER. — THE NUMBERS FIVE AND SIX. 

Treat as suggested for preceding numbers; at this 
stage of the work enlarge upon the number and the 
variety of practical problems; lead pupils to construct 
problems for each other, permitting no one to propose 
one which he cannot solve. 

Suppose you have the following upon the board: 



Ho7V many are : 






Read and complete : 


I and 5? 


6 less 




1 + 5 = 


6-5 = 


2 and 5? 


7 less 




2 + 5 = 


7—5 = 


3 and 5? 


8 less 




3 + 5 = 


8^5 = 


4 and 5? 


9 less 




4+5 = 


9—5 = 


5 and 5? 


10 less 




5 + 5 = 


10—5 = 


6 and 5? 


1 1 less 




6+5 = 


11—5 = 


7 and 5? 


12 less 




7 + 5 = 


12 — 5 = 


8 and 5? 


13 less 




8 + 5 = 


13—5 = 


9 and 5? 


14 less 




9+5 = 


14—5 = 


10 and 5? 


15 less 




10+ 5 = 


15—5 = 



Now show pupils how they may construct original 
examples by using the numbers given, thus: "If John 
has a marble and James has five, how many would Wil- 
liam have provided he buys John's and James's 
marbles?" Require some other pupil to give result. 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 159 

then give another the privilege of constructing a problem 
for solution, using the "2 and 5." 

Read and cotnplete : 



I. 


I2=4X ? 


I2 = 3X ? 


12-1-4-- i* 


I2-^3-? 


2. 


i4=7x ? 


14 = 2 X ? 


14^7= ? 


I4-h2 = ? 


3. 


8==2X ? 


8=4x ? 


8-f-4= ? 


8-^2==? 


4. 


6=3x ? 


6=2X ? 


6^2 = ? 


6-^1 ^^ 


5- 


10=5 X ? 


10 = 2 X ? 


IO-f-2 = ? 


10-^5 = ? 


6. 


12 =:2 X ? 


12 =6x ? 


12-^-6= ? 


I 2-f-2 = ? 



Extend this at pleasure. Do not omit the constant 
recurrence of fractional parts, thus: 



y2 of 2= 


K of S = 


^ of 10 cents = 


i<^ of 12 in. = 


^ of a quart = 


y of 4= 


i^ of 10 = 


i^ of 14 eggs = 


^ of 16 birds = 


j4 o( 6 yards = 


J^ of 6 = 


y of 12 = 


>^of $12^ 


>^ of 10 dimes = 


14 of 8 sheep = 


y^ of 6 = 


^ of 12 = 


>^ of 9 = 


y of 9 men= 


i^ of 12 boys = 


>^ of $15 = 


^ of 18 dogs = 


h' 0^ =4 


Ho( =3 


y of =5 


^of 4 = 


^of 8== 


5< of 12== 


¥ - 


V4= 


Two 4's = 


V5 0f 5 = 


VgOf 10 = 




V = 


Two 5's = 



Attend to the Arabic and Roman notations; carry 
this as far as the lesson last read in the reader Do not 
spend time upon the notation and numeration beyond 
the limits named, as the child will be able to write and 
read numbers as rapidly as they are needed. 

Whenever the limit is completed pass to the work of 
the next month. Do not hesitate to push forward as 
rapidly as you can to do thorough work. 



l6o How to Grade and Teach a Country Schoot. 

JANUARY. — THE NUMBER SEVEN. 

Treat as recommended for other numbers. Be very 
careful and have perfect work. Increase the number 
and variety of original and selected problems. Build 
up the "Yankee Multiplication Table" by adding a 
square or two daily. 

Name the seven letters used in Roman notation and 
state the value of each. 

Write long columns of single numbers and cause 
pupils to write corresponding columns of numbers, 
increased by a single number; write columns of numbers 
diminished by a common number; multiplied by a com- 
mon factor; divided by a common divisor. 

Write long columns and require the number lO added, 
or subtracted, and second column written rapidly. 

Search your primary arithmetics for other methods 
and constantly devise slate work that shall be a review 
of the preceding numbers. 

Start with a small number and double it, double the 
product and repeat as far as the pupil can do so readily. 
Reverse this process and Jialve it. 

Have pupils write a long list of Arabic numbers and 
duplicate in the Roman writing. 

Practice writing sums of Federal money. Practice 
reading same. 

Have pupils use the foot-rule in measuring lengths, 
breadths, and thicknesses. (These rules are usually to 
be had of merchants for the asking. They may be 
made from pieces of lath, or from paste-board boxes. 

Have pupils learn the table for "Time Measure." 

Pass immediately to the number eight as soon as 
seven is thoroughly learned, 



Outline of Study for Primary Division, i6i 



FEBRUARY. — THE NUMBER EIGHT. 


Write, complete, 


learn, and 


recite: 


and 8 are — 




8 less /^ — 


8 and o arc — 




8 less 8 z^ — 


I ajid 7 are — 




8 less I /i- — 


7 and i are — 




8 less 7 zV — 


2 and 6 are — 




8 less 2 /^ — 


6 and 2 are — 




8 less 6 zi- — 


3 and 5 are — 




8 less 3 2.y — 


5 and 3 are — 




8 less 5 /^ — 


4 and 4 are — 




8 less 4 2^ — 


I 8 zV — 




I ill 8 — times 


8 \'s are — 




8 //^ 8 


2 4 V are — 




2 ?■;/ 8 — ////-/^.y 


4 2 V ^r^ — 




4 /;/ 8 — ////^^.f 


I //^//" of 8 /.f — 




I fourtJi of 8 /.y - 


I 


: eighth of 


8 is — 









WRITE 


AND ADD 








1 


2 


3 


4 


5 6 


7 


8 


9 


7 





5 


4 


2 I 


7 


4 


3 


_i 


8 


2 


3 


6 6 





4 


5 








WRITE AND MULTIPLY 








1 


2 


3 


4 


5 6 




7 


s 



7 2 o I 4 I o 

1487287 









WRITE 


AND 


SUBSTRACT 








1 


2 


'3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8. 


a 


8 


8 


7 


7 


8 


8 


7 


8 


7 


I 


5 


4 





3 


7 


2 


8 


5 



62 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



WRITE AND DIVIDE 

3 4 5 



1)7^ 2)^ 7)7_ 4)^ 2)7 3)8_ 2,)7_ 

WRITE AND ADD 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 !» 10 



I I 


3 


I 2 I 


I 


3 3 I 


I 2 





I 2 2 


3 


2 2 3 


6 4 


4 


5 4 5 


3 


2 3 4 






WRITE AND SUBTRACT 




1 2 


3 


4 5 


6 


7 8 9 


8 7 


7 


8 8 


7 


807 


4 I 


3 


o 7 


7 


6.7 6 






WRITE AND DIVIDE 




1 2 




3 4 


5 


6 7 


8)8^ 4)_7_ 




5)8 7)8 


6)7_ 


6)8 5^7 


Build up the 


multiplication tab! 


e as b( 


-fore to the 8's. 


0-f 8=r 8 




3 + 8==ii 




6 + 8=14 


I +8= 9 




4 + 8=12 




7 + 8=15 


2 + 8=IO 




5 + 8=13 




8 + 8=16 


8— 8=o 




11—8=3 




14—8=6 


9—8=1 




12—8=4 




15-8=7 


lO— 8=2 




13—8=5 




i6— 8=8 


'8 X o =^ o 




8x3 =24 




Sx6 =48 


:8 X I = 8 




8x4=32 




8x7 = 56 


;Sx2=i^ 




8 X 5 =40 




8x8 =64 


.o-f-8 =o 




24-^8 = 3 




48^8=6 


8-^8=1 




32^8=4 




56^8=7 


i6-^8=2 




40^8=5 




64-^-8=8 


i^ of o=o 




yi of 24=3 




i^ of 48=^ 



Old line of Study for Primary Division, 163 

3^ of 8=1 i^of32--4 >^ of 56-^.7 

% of 16=2 i^ of 40=5 V^ of 64=8 

How many are 

8 times 3 eggs? 6 times (S hours? 

5 times 8 nuts? 8 times 8 cents? 

8 times 4 pins 7 times 8 quarts? 

How many are 

yi of 24 miles? ^ of 48 men? 

yi of 16 dollars? 1^ of 56 bushels? 

yi of 32 ounces? i^ of 40 cents? 









ADD AT SIGHT 








8 


8 


5 


84738 


8 


6 


8 


6 


7 


8 


88885 


4 


8 


4 


Write th 


e proper numbers in place of 


(?): 






i6-[-8=? 




15+8=? 32 + 8=? 




22 + 8= 


= ? 


16- 


-8=? 




15—8=? 32—8===? 




22 — 8= 


r^? 


7x 


8=? 




5x8=? %^%=-> 




^Y."^- 


= ? 


24-f 


-8=? 




40-1-8=? ■ 48-^8-? 

ADDITION. 




56-^-8 


= > 


8 
5 
3 


7 
I 

4 


5 
8 
6 


6448 
8063 
8872 

SUBSTRACTION. 


8 
6 
7 


8 
8 
8 


7 
7 
8 


9 
8 


II 
6 


12 
8 


8 16 14 24 

2878 
MULTIPLICATION. 


15 
7 


12 
6 


10 

2 


8 
3 


7 
5 


6 
4 


5487 

Z T 6 6 


7 
7 


8 

7 


8 
8 



1 64 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country ScJiooL 

DIVISION. 
6) 1 8 8)56 8)40 7)49 6)48 

Comparing i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 with 8. 

1. Compare 8 and 7. 

8 is I more thait y ; 7 is i less than 8 . 

2. Compare 8 and 6. 8 and 5. 8 and 4. 8 and 3. 
8 and 2. 8 and i. 

3. 8 is how many I's? 2's? 3's? 4's, 5's? 6's 7's? 

4. 8 is how many times i? 2? 3? 4? 5? 6? 7? 

5. I is what part of 8? 2 is what part? 4 is what 
part? 

6. 8 is equal to what two equal numbers? To what 
four equal numbers? To what eight equal numbers? 

7. 8 is equal to what two even numbers? To what 
two other even numbers? To what four even numbers? 

8. 8 is equal to what two odd numbers? To what 
two other odd numbers? 

9. 8 is equal to what two unequal numbers? 
10. 8 is equal to what three unequal numbers? 

How many keys are 



1. 7 keys and i key? 

2. 8 times i key? 



3. 8 keys less 7 keys, less 
I key? 

4. 8 keys less 8 times I key? 

5. How many times can I take i key from 8 keys? 

6. Then, how many times is i key contained in 8 

keys? 

How many locks are 

1. 2 locks, and 2 locks, I 3. 8 locks less 2 locks, less 
and 2 locks, and 2 locks?! 2 locks, less 2 locks, less 

2. 4 times 2 locks? | 2 locks? 

4. 8 locks less 4 times 2 locks? 



Outline of Study for Priinary DivisioJi^ 165 

5. How many times can I take 2 locks from 8 locks? 

6. How many times are 2 locks contained in 8 locks? 

7. 8 locks are how many times 2 locks? 

8. 8 locks are 4 times how many locks? 

How many bolts are 

1. 3 bolts, and 3 bolts, and 3. 8 bolts less 3 bolts, less 
2 bolts? I 3 bolts? 

2. 2 times 3 bolts, and 2 4. 8 bolts less 2 times 3 
bolts? bolts? 

5. How many times can I take 3 bolts from 8 bolts? 

6. How many times are 3 bolts contained in 8 bolts? 

How many hinges are 

1. 4 hinges and 4 hinges? | 3. 8 hinges less 4 hinges, 

2. 2 times 4 hinges? less 4 hinges? 

4. 8 hinges less 2 times 4 hinges? 

5. How many times can I take 4 hinges from 8 
hinges? 

6. How many times are 4 hinges contained in 8 
hinges? 

7. 8 hinges are how many times 4 hinges? 

8. 8 hinges are 4 times how many hinges? 

1. How many tacks are 5 tacks and 3 tacks? 

2. How many tacks are 8 tacks less 5 tacks? 

3. How many times can I take 5 tacks from 8 tacks? 

4. Then, how many times are 5 tacks contained in 8 
tacks? 

1. How many nails are 6 nails and 2 nails? 

2. How many nails are 8 nails less 6 nails? 

3. How many times can I take 6 nails from 8 nails? 

4. Then, how many times are 6 nails contained in 8 
nails? 

I. How many boards are 7 boards and i board? 



1 66 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country Sehool. 



2. How many boards are 8 boards less 7 boards? 

3. How many times can I take 7 boards from 8 
boards? 

4. Then, how many times are 7 boards contained in 
8 boards? 

I. How many times can I take 8 bricks from 8 bricks? 
Then, how many times are 8 bricks contained in 8 
bricks? 



What part of 8 bricks 

5. Are 4 bricks? 

6. Are 2 bricks? 

7. Is I brick? 



How many bricks are 

2. I half of 8 bricks? 

3. I fourth of 8 bricks? 

4. I eighth of 8 bricks? 

8. I brick is i eighth of how many bricks? 

9. 2 bricks are I fourth of how many bricks? 
10. 4 bricks are i half of how many bricks? 

Copy and fill : 



8x 1 = 


8- 


-8= 




6x8= 


7x 


= 56 


8x 2= 


i6h 


-8 = 




48^8 = 


8x 


=72 


8x 3= 


24- 


-8= 




8x8 = 


7x 


=42 


8x 4= 


32- 


-8= 




64-f-8= 


6x 


= 54 


8x 5 = 


40- 


-8= 




5x8= 


7x 


^-63 


8x 6= 


48- 


-8= 




40-f-8 = 


8x 


= 56 


8x 7^ 


56- 


-8= 




9x8 = 


8x 


=80 


8x 8 = 


64- 


-8= 




72-^8.= 


5x 


=45 


6x 9= 


72- 


-8 = 




1^^^ 


6x 


=48 


8x10= 


80- 


-8= 




56-^8= 


lO-f 


= 70 


Hoiv many books are : 










Two 8 books? 




2 


times 8 books? 


Two 8's? 


Four 8 books 


? 


4 


times 8 books? 


Fo 


Lir 8's? 


Three 8 books? 


3 


times 8 books? 


Three 8's? 


Six 8 books? 




6 


times 8 books? 


S 


ix 8's? 


Five 8 booksr 


> 




5 


times 8 books? 


Five 8's? 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 167 



7 times 8 books? Seven 8's? 

8 times 8 books? Eight 8's? 

9 times 8 books? Nine 8's? 
10 times 8 books? Ten 8's? 

How many : 

8 quarts in 24 quarts? 
8 pints in 40 pints? 
8 bushels in 16 bushels? 
8 grains in 32 grains? 
8 pounds in 48 pounds? 
8 ounces in 64 ounces? 
8 boxes in 80 boxes? 
8 cents in 56 cents? 
8 pennies in 72 pennies? 



Seven 8 books? 
Eight 8 books? 
Nine 8 books? 
Ten 8 books? 
How many are : 

2 times 8 pecks? 

3 times 8 quarts? 
2 times 8 yards? 

4 times 8 bushels? 

6 times 8 pounds? 

8 times 8 boxes? 
10 times 8 pounds? 

7 times 8 dimes? 

9 times 8 dimes? 
Give an endless variety of problems of a practical 

nature. 

Place some such form as this upon the board: 

Show the pupils how they may fill 
this out by writing the name of some 
animal to the right of each number in 
the column, and completing the form, 
thus: "i cat=:8 cats," "2 dogs=r:i6 
dogs," &c. When this is completed the 
form will present the following appear- 
ance: 



8x <^ 



2= 
3=- 
4= 
5= 
6= 

8= 
9= 



8x I 



10= 

1 rat=8 rats. | Change the order of the 

2 cats=i6 cats. j ^.^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ -^ j^ ^j^^ 

3 dogs^24 dogs. , . . -^ 

4 birds:^32 birds. I ^^ape of a review. Have 

5 sheep:=40 sheep, pupils stand and recite one 

6 mice^48 mice. part each in turn, naming 

7 lambs=:561ambs. the. parts of a wagon. 
8snakes=64snakes^j^^^ ^l^j^ ^^ ,^^,^^^ have 
9 toads=r:72 toads. 1 ^ 

ID owls=8o owls. 



each to write out same 



1 68 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

form, noting the pupil who has correctly spelled all the 
words used. 

By a little careful thought the teacher will originate 
many new forms and helpful methods. Read your 
authors for this and look through old files of papers for 
suggestions. 

MARCH. — THE NUMBER NINE. 

Treat the number nine as suggested for each of the 
preceding numbers. You cannot make this treatment 
too full, or too complete. If the pupil thoroughly 
understands all possible combinations of the nine num- 
bers there can be but little difficulty in securing intelli- 
gent work in the Intermediate Divisions. It is true that 
the thorough teacher can do more work than is here 
outlined, the careless one w'lW pass over more than twice 
the amount of work, and the average country school 
teacher will be kept busy in doing the niiniinum as here 
outlined; these facts should convince us of the value of 
outline that shall show but minimnm work. 

The teacher is urged to do as much more than the 
minimum as he can to secure thorough work. 

The number ten is placed in this connection to be 
left at the discretion of the teacher. He is expected to 
introduce the number ten whenever he is thoroughly 
prepared for it. 

Pass to the Intermediate work whenever the pupils 
are prepared to do so. 

The pupil should copy the following diagram upon 
the slate, and fill the spaces with the appropriate pro- 
ducts: 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 169 



I 


1 2 


1 3 


1 4 


5 


r^6 


7 


8 


1 9 1 


10 


2 


|2'S 


2'S 


|2-S 


2's 


|2'S 


|2'S 


2's 


|2'S 


2's 


1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 



A similar form should be used for each number, as 
the class advances. 

ABOUT SIGNS. 

A very common error throughout the country is the 
use of the signs in the order printed, thus, 6-1-8 x 3 — 
2x3, if treated in the order written gives 120 as the 
result while the true result is 24. 

It should be remembered that the signs x and ~ 
take precedence over -f- and — immediately preceding 
them. In other words the sign -f- or — include all that 
lies between them and the next -f- or — sign. 

But in 6 X 4-f-3 X 4, authors are not agreed as to 
whether the result is 32, or 2. 

Great care should be exercised to avoid false teaching 
with reference to the signs. 

From the first lesson begin to build up all the com- 
bined additions that will produce the number in use; 
keep this before the class daily until it is able to repro- 
duce it without aid. 

When completed it will present the following appear- 
ance: 



I70 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

to + 





to HH 

CO + + 

^ to 

4^ + + + 

H-. to Oo 




4^ oa to t-i 

Oi + + + + 

H-t N) OJ 4i>' 




t-n 4X OJ to HH 

G^ + + + + + 

HH to OJ ^ CO 




0\KJX Jii. UO to HH 

^J ++++++ 

HH lO Oj 4i>. t.n 0\ 


vj 0\Kjx 4i. Os) to >^ 

00 + + + + + + + 

•-^ to C>J 4^ t_n ON*^ 


^ 


00*S) 0\<-n -px OJ to HH 
+ + + + + + + + 

HH to c>j 4x t^ GWi 00 


o 


VO OOVI ONOn 4i^ Oj to HH 

+++++++++ 

H- tocK>4^«^ Gn^ OovO 


1— 1 


VO 00 VJ ON^-ri 4:^. oo to 

++++++++ 

to oj 4^ o-i 0\vj OOVO 


to 


VO 00 va a\v^ 4^ Osi 
+ + + + + + + 

Oo 4^ t-n ON^J OOVO 


►— 1 
CO 


VO oovi 0\Kj\ 4x 

++++++ 

-^ ^-n OS^J OOVO 


4^ 


VO OOVl Os^n. 
+ + + + + 
v^ ON VI OOVO 


Cr 


VO oovj 0\ 

+ + + + 

ONVI OOVO 


On 


VO 00v:i 

+ + + 




O 00 

+ + 

OOVO 



OO vj 



Outline of SUcdy for Prijnary Division. 171 



When completed, the "Yankee Multiplication Table' 
will present the following appearance: 



T 


I's 


|2'S 


|3's 


4's 


5's 


6's 


7's 


8's 1 


9's 1 


lo's 


' 


2 

4 

6 

8 

10 


3 


4 


5 




7 


8 


9 


10 


2 


2 


6 

9 
12 


8 
12 
16 


10 


12 


14 


16 


18 


20 


3 


3 


15 


18 


21 


24 


27 


30 


4 


4 


20 


24 


28 

35 


32 


36 


40 


5 


5 


^5 


20 


25 


30 


40 


45 


50 


6 


6 


12 


i8- 


24 


30 


36 
42 


42 


48 


54 


60 
70 


7 


7 


14 


21 


28 


35 


49 
56 


56 
64 


63 


8 


8 


16 


24 


32 


40 


48 


72 


80 
90 


9 


9 


18 


27 
30 


Z^ 


45 


54 


63 


72 


81 


10 


10 


20 


40 


50 


60 


70 


80 


90 


100 



This may be extended by continuing to 12 in the 
same manner. 

Write a column of numbers, each less than ten, 
similar to these: 

I. 6 Have pupils look at these numbers and 

give results as quickly as possible by 
turns, or as called upon. 

First, give sum by adding any common 
addend, as 5; thus: 11, 13, 9, 8, 7, etc. 

Second, give difference by using some 
common minuend larger than any one of 
the subtrahends. 



2. 


8 


3. 


4 


4. 


3 


5- 


2 


6. 


I 


7. 


5 


8. 


9 



172 Hozv to Grade a7td Teach a Country School. 

9. 7 Third, give product by using any com- 

10. 6 mon multiplier. 

Fourth, give quotient of some number divided by 
each in turn, rapidly. Practice this frequently by 
changing the numbers. Finally, require pupils to pre- 
pare scheme for same, completely filled out. 

PENMANSHIP. 

Do not teach principles in this division, neither have 
a separate class in Penmanship, but be cautious in all 
your writing for the children to present the best possible 
specimens of your handwriting, and to insist upon neat 
letter forms. The idea of care, and of neatness, should 
run through all the work in copying, or in sentence 
building. 

Have this division to write at the same hour with the 
whole school, as a general exercise, and have its mem- 
bers give attention to all explanations; but do not ask 
it to memorize rules and analysis. 

Do not introduce the pen in this division ; have pupils 
use slate pencil, lead pencil and crayon. 

The teacher will select one or two lines for practice 
each month; these should be neatly written upon the 
board, or better, upon slips of paper, and the pupils 
required to practice upon them. 

From this time forward, through all grades of the 
school, almost every reading lesson should be accom- 
panied by appropriate written work; and in connection 
with Grammar, Geography and History, much writing 
should be done. In all of this work and in the written 
examinations, it is of the first importance that no care- 
lessness be tolerated. The habit of writing a confused, 



Outline of Study for Primary Division. 173 

jumbled scrawl is easily formed and cannot be changed 
without the most persistent effort. Pupils should be 
compelled to re-write their work when it is not satis- 
factory. Never allow any of it to pass unnoticed. 
Look at everything they do. When members of the 
Primary Division write exercises in spelling, language, 
etc., on paper, have the paper ruled like the slates. 
While making a specialty of the forms of letters, as 
should be done in this grade, the writing must be large. 

Early in the term take a specimen of penmanship 
from every pupil able to write. At intervals afterwards, 
take other specimens, and keep the first and the last 
one by each pupil together. Unless you do this there 
will be no realization of the progress made. You 
might use for the purpose slips of examination paper 
about seven lines wide, and making a hole through one 
end of a collection of them, tie them together. They 
could then be turned like the leaves of a book. Have 
date, name and age of pupil, name of teacher, and 
name of district written on each specimen. Let the 
line be repeated one or two times, according to space. 

Slates should be carefully ruled at the top so as to 
present this appearance: 



An ordinary Spencerian pen, with center broken out, 
offers ruling points of the proper width. 

For forms of the letters see the outline of study for 



174 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Penmanship in the Intermediate Division. A copy of 
these forms should be placed upon the upper margin of 
the board and kept standing there during the whole 
term, or until the whole board is needed. 

Specimen work only should be required of this 
division each month. The teacher should write the 
stanza on the board, and require much practice during 
the week. 

LINES FOR OCTOBER. 
Hark! my mother's voice 1 hear; 
Sweet that voice is to my ear. 

LINES FOR NOVEMBER. 
Love me, mother? Yes, I know 
None can love so well as thou. 

LINES FOR DECEMBER. 
What return then, can I make? 
This fond heart, dear mother, take. 

LINES FOR JANUARY. 
Do your best, your very best, 
And do it every day. 

LINES FOR FEBRUARY. 
Do your best with right good will, 
It is a golden rule. 

LINES FOR MARCH. 

Kind hearts are the gardens, 
Kind thoughts are the roots. 

LINES FOR APRIL. 

If I was a man, 
I'd be a man. 



Outline of Study for Primary Division, 175 

LINES FOR MAY. 
This is my writing. 
Name 

The teacher should take specimen work on the above 
at such time as he may deem best, after the pupils have 
had sufficient practice. If the regular examination, 
paper is used, he should see to it that the blanks are 
correctly filled. 



176 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



INTERMEDIATE DIVISION 



COURSE, AND OUTLINE OF STUDY. 

APPROXIMATE TIME — THREE YEARS. 

f Reading. 
I Spelling. 
Studies of Third and Fourth Penmanship. 
Reader Pupils. i Language. 

I (jeograpny. 
I U. S. History. 
1^ Arithmetic. 

CLASSIFICATION. 

Reading. — Permit but two reading classes in this 
division. In many cases a little ingenuity on the part of 
the teacher will enable him to combine them into one. 
In some cases he will find but one or two pupils in the 
Third Reader, and these possibly as good readers as 
those in the Fourth Reader; by a careful attempt he 
may succeed in having these enter the Fourth Reader 
class for a time; and finally, the pupils will gladly unite 
and read alternately from the two readers. In many 
instances the Fourth Reader pupils can be put into the 
Third in the same manner; or good readers in the 
Fourth can be promoted to the Fifth Reader, provided 
this book is used in the course. The same plan of 
classification will apply in many instances, to the 
Primary Division. It is absolutely as necessary to use 
good judgment in the classification and gradation of 



Outline of Study for lutermediate Division. lyj 

the school, as in any business engagement. It requires 
tact, and a clear comprehension of the course of study, 
together with a definite object in view, at all times. 

Spelling. — The spelling book should not be used 
until the pupil reaches the Fourth Reader. Teachers 
will find opposition to this plan, and will find it neces- 
sary in many cases to use the speller more or less, 
until pupils pass from the Primary Division; by so 
doing they may soon be able to discard it in all classes 
below the Fourth Reader. Two classes are sufficient 
for the course, provided every word has been correctly 
spelled as the pupil progressed in his reader. 

It should be remembered that no pupil is to be 
retarded in his progress by pupils who cannot do the 
full amount of work, but that all are to be encouraged 
to do good and thorough work; hence, whenever a pupil 
is able to carry some of the studies of the next grade, he 
should be permitted to take them, no matter whether 
he is promoted in all of them or not; this being the 
plan, the teacher should permit pupils who are able to 
do so, to enter the B spelling class, from the Third 
Reader; the poorest spellers in the Fourth Reader, and 
the best in the Third should compose the B class, and 
the best spellers from the Fourth, and the members of 
the Fifth Reader grade should comprise the A class. 
In other words, place all pupils who are qualified to do 
the work, in the advanced class, as outlined in the 
Intermediate Division. 

Penmanship. — The entire school should form one 
class in this branch, and the exercise should have its 
place and time in the program, held as sacred as any 
other branch. See Course of Study for methods and 
helps in this branch, 



1/8 Hozu to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Language. — ^Technical grammar should not be at- 
tempted in this division, but thorough work should be 
done in language. Constant and vigilant attention 
should be paid to the correct use of language, in all the 
branches, and at all times, both in and out of school. 
There should be two classes in language; the class in 
Oral Language and the class in the Text Book. Oral 
work should extend through the Third Reader grade, 
and the Text Book through the Fourth Reader. In 
the application of this plan of classification it may be 
necessary to do oral work for a year, even in the 
Fourth Reader grade, owing to the unbalanced educa- 
tion of its members. 

In the poorest graded schools, it will take about two 
years to grade to the requirements of this course of 
study. 

Geography. — There should be two classes in this 
branch in the Intermediate Division. There can be no 
necessity for more than this number. The class of 
beginners should not have the book, but should com- 
prise the class in Oral Geography as outlined in the 
course. 

The other class should do the work outlined for this 
grade. See detailed outline for methods and helps in 
the teaching of Geography. 

U. S. History. — But one class is needed in this 
branch in the Intermediate Division. It will be found 
that but few schools are now using a Prinnary History 
of the United States All teachers in the rural schools 
must consent that the members of the Fourth Reader 
qlasses are the most troublesome in the school, so far as 
discipline is concerned. This is principally caused by 



Outline of Study for Liter mediate Division. 179 

the absence of sufficient required work. Again, as 
history is ordinarily taught, pupils become disgusted 
with it in the T^ifth Reader grade. It is a serious mis- 
take to place the heavy text book of History into the 
hands of the pupil, without first giving him an intro- 
duction to the most interesting features of our country's 
history. Teachers who will get the consent of their 
school boards to introduce a good, child's text on U. S. 
History, will find themselves more than repaid for their 
trouble, by the interest aroused, and the seat work 
afforded by it. At the close of the year they will find 
their pupils both willing, and eager to take up the usual 
text book. Of course, none excepc members of the 
Fourth Reader class, or those in the Fifth Reader not 
pursuing this study, should be admitted. 

Arithmetic. — Strictly speaking there should be but 
three classes in the Practical Arithmetic. If the work is 
well done in the first three reader grades, the pupil will 
have but little trouble to carry the work as outlined in 
the course. Pupils should not own the text until they 
pass at least one year's work in the Third Reader. This 
will provide the way for two classes in Practical Arith- 
metic, in the Intermediate Division. One reason why 
pupils do not master the principles of Arithmetic, is be- 
cause they are pushed forward too rapidly, and do not 
master what they pass over. Nothing but patient, and 
thorough work, slowly, and cautiously done, with con- 
stant daily reviews, will ever accomplish successful re- 
sults in Arithmetic. 

READING. 

Books — Third and Fourth Readers. 

Object — To increase the vocabulary, to acquire in- 



i8o How to Grade and leach a Country School, 

formation, to develop thought, and to express it effect- 
ively, both in oral and written forms. 

Materials — Dictionary, blackboard, slates, paper, pen, 
pencil, and sponge. 

Preparation — (i) The pronunciation of the word as a 
whole. 

(2) Spelling by sound. 

(3) Spelling by letter. 

(4) Name of diacritical marks. Daily review and 
careful drill on the above points. 

Apply all suggestions of a practical nature from the 
Primary Division to the Reading classes in this division. 

The members of the Third Reader class should not 
be required to use the dictionary much, but the mem- 
bers of the Fourth Reader should be required to do so 
every day. 

Preparation for the use of the dictionary should 
begin early in the Primary Division, and be continued 
until the pupil can use it. In the Third Reader it is 
well to arrange words of a given lesson with reference to 
the two or tJirce first letters, as in the Primary Division. 

Arrange words in columns with reference to long or 
short sounds. Do not attempt too much of this at a 
time. A very little bit daily for five months will accom- 
plish a great deal. Select the words from reader or lists 
given, thus: 

LONG SOUNDS, ETC. 



bee 

beat 

sea 

thee 

Lee 



e 

her 
sir 



aim air 
pain fair 
there 
wear 
mirth malse pear 



hurry same 
earth ache 







mark or 
hark fork 



lark 
dark 
spark born 



o 



oats 
vote 

gorge those 

lord 



sown 
own 



ooze 

who 

whose 

whom 

choose 



Outline of Study for liiterniediate Divisio7i. 



SHORT SOUNDS. 



i 


u e 


a 


d 


o 


written uncle bell act 
picture under bend back 
this upon sent bran 
wish upward then brand 
chill ugly when than 


ask dot 
task not 
dance forgot 
chn'if^o dog 
mask hog 


book 
look 
took 
good 
foot 




LONG VOWELS, DIPTHONGS, ETC. 




i 


oi ou 


u y 


w h 


wh 


iron 
idle 
mind 
thine 


joint pout 
point rout 
boil spout 
soil thou 


cute yet 
mute yell 
new yes 
few yelk 


way hay 
well he 
walk him 
war his 


when 
which 
white 
what 


size 


spoil owl 


dew you 


was have 


where 


Arrange also wi 


th reference to certain 


letters 


groups 


5 of letters, ei 


ther silent or sounded, thus: 


knock 
knob 


knot knack right sight 
know knife might tight 


light 
night 



or 



In the following lesson a very good model is obtained 
by which pupils can be led to select all of the easier 
derivatives. The meaning of the primitive may be 
taught and the force of the prefix or suffix clearly 
shown. Afterwards the meaning may be given. 
ONLY A BABY. 



Only a baby small. 

Dropped from the skies! 

Only a laughing face- 
Two sunny eyes! 

Only two cherry lips, 
One chubby nose! 

Only two little hands, 
Ten little toes. 

Only a golden head, 

Curly and soft! 
Only a tongue that wags, 

Loudly and oft. 



Only a little brain. 
Empty of thought! 

Only a little heart. 

Troubled with naught. 

Only a tender flower, 

Sent us to rear! 
Only a life to love, 

While we are here. 

Only a baby small, 

Never at rest! 
Small, but how dear to us, 
God knoweth best! 

— Addie Lay ton. 



bright 


wags 


moves 


small 


naught 


nothing 


blossom 


rear 


raise 



182 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Dropped = drop + ed. Why 2 p's in dropped? 

Laughing = laugh + ing. 

Sunny = sun -fy. Why two n's in sunny? 

Golden ^=. gold -h en. 

Curly = curl + y. Why but one 1 ? 

Loudly z=. loud 4- ly. 

Troubled = trouble + ed. Why but one e ? 

Knoweth = know + eth. 

This will illustrate the use of synonyms; thus: 

small little sunny 

laughing smiling little 
rest quiet flower 

What has been said about assigning short lessons can 
be illustrated by the one given above. These or similar 
questions should be given that the pupils may be thor- 
oughly tested as to their comprehension of its meaning 
and their ability to express their thoughts: 

Is a baby as large as you are? Which is larger, a colt 
or a horse? a calf or a cow? a pig or a hog? Where is 
the sky? What is a laughing face? Sunny eyes? How 
many eyes? ears? noses? lips? hands? fingers? feet? 
toes? tongues? heads? What is a golden head? Does 
the baby talk? what sound does it make? Will it learn 
to talk? What do you use when you talk? What words 
have long ol long a'> What words begin with <://? with 
/? with a? Write the lesson, omitting all words that 
tell some number. What did you omit? Write these 
numbers in three ways. Put other words in the place 
of small, laughing, sunny, cherry, ways, oft. 

The above is sufficient for one lesson. The questions 
for the second may be as follows: 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. I?? 3 

Where is the brain? Do we think with it? Should 
we strike any one on the head? Is the heart always 
beating? When you are asleep? Why is baby like a 
flower? What is tender? Why do we love baby? How 
long should we love it? What is meant by "While we 
are here"? Shall we go somewhere else? Where? 
When? Can you tell how well you love your sister? 
brother? father? mother? Who knows how well? Who 
knows all things? Write all the words with short a\ 
long a\ broad a\ short e. Write words in the place of 
naught, rear, rest. Write names used in the family, as, 
father, mother, papa, mamma, brother, etc. 
Arrange such forms as this: 
One who teaches is called a teacher. 

*' preaches '* 

talks " 

*' paints ^* 

*' writes " 

** plays ' " 

** runs ** 

reads " 

** sings *' 

** sews '* 

" sows " 

farms " 

idles " 

** laughs '♦ 

" digs '' 

** learns " 

** loves •* 

'* tattles '' 

** fights " 



84 How to Grade and Teach a Country SckooL 



One 


who gives 


is called 




* hunts 








* traps 








* weaves 








travels 








* spins 








' prints 








' moves 








* works 








' walks 








* owns 








* tans 







The following diagrams for forming derivatives from 
primitive words will prove an excellent thing for seat 
work. Make three columns; in the first place the 
primitive, in the second add ijig, in the third add ed, 
thus: 
change changing changed rob 



range 

fire 

glide 

chide 

curse 

curve 

scourge 

serve 

merge 

wedge 

pledge 

force 



mg 



-ed 



sob 

rub 

bud 

brag 

beg 

cut 

lag 

hem 

hum 

sin 

dig 

rig 



robbing 
ing 



robbed 
ed 



Encourage the pupils to make long lists of these 
words, using, first, all words ending in silent e ; second, 



Outline of Study for tnterniediate Division. 185 

monosyllables, or words accented on last syllable, with 
consonant following a single vowel; third, those ending 
in _)'. This method will teach the correct formation and 
spelling of more than three hundred derivatives used 
by the pupil of this division. 

The rules can be given and memorized if desired, and 
the exceptions noted. 

While reading in this division, at least one lesson 
each week should be devoted to reading matter entirely 
new to pupils. A story book or a corresponding book 
of another series is sufficient. The teacher can easily 
procure this from some of the pupils who have probably 
used a different series at some other school. The 
teacher who expects to teach a number of terms can at 
a very slight expense procure a number of different 
books of this division. The pupils may be called upon 
individually to read from the book. The way in which 
they read new matter similar to what they are learning 
is a good test of the value of the teaching done. It 
also tests to a degree the ability of those who listen, to 
comprehend the subject matter. It develops the class 
in a two-fold manner. Three books of a kind are all- 
sufficient in this exercise; one for the teacher, one for 
the pupil reading and another for the one who is to 
follow the one reading, in order that no time be lost 

Question as severely in the presence of visitors as 
when alone; test the poor pupils as thoroughly as the 
bright, and attempt to awaken thought by every ques- 
tion. 

Continue the vocabulary begun with the Primary 
Division; make the list complete and regular. Do not 
select the words at random, and do not neglect to give 



i86 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

a few words each day. Drill carefully upon the pronun- 
ciation, spelling and correct use in sentences. Be sure 
that every pupil can use each word correctly in both 
oral and written sentences. 

The following vocabulary should be thoroughly given 
and tested. Take the words in order, not more than 
five or ten at one lesson, at the teacher's discretion, and 
devote not more than two minutes daily to drill in pro- 
nunciation and use. Let the teacher be sure he can 
pronounce all of them. The teacher's pronunciation 
should be correct. An unabridged dictionary should 
be a constant desk companion. Let the teacher take 
the reader in use and supplement the list by all the 
words in his book not found in this list, being careful 
to place each word in its proper column, as designated 
by the vowel sound: 



a 


drag 


handsome 


planning 


and 


dram 


hang 


planted 


act 


dapple 


hanging 


planting 


apples 


dandy 


hatched 


plashing 


adds 


dandelion 


hatching 


rather 


Albert 


damask 


harrowed 


ragged 


answer 


damage 


jam 


rascal 


apt 


fact 


January 


sandy 


anxious 


fancy 


landed 


sang 


blackberries 


Fanny 


lands 


splash 


blacking 


fanning 


lap 


splashing 


began 


family 


laprobe 


standing 


band 


flash 


lapdog 


sparrow 


clash 


flashed 


manhood 


Saturday 


crash 


flashing 


mankind 


swam 



Outline of Study for intermediate Division. i§7 



carry 

carries 

carried 

carrier 

camel 

candle 

catches 

catching 

clap 

clapped 

Clarence 

crack 

cracking 

e 
Edward 
ascends 
again 
against 
elm 
enter 
every 
else 
ever 
engine 
best 

breakfast 
better 
bedtime 
beckon 
cellar 
selling 



flatter 

flat 

gather 

grandpa 

gather 

gathered 

gladly 

gladness 

gathering 

hand 

hands 

handle 

having 

cents 

correct 

corrects 

eggs 

deaf 

felt 

gentle 

guest 

help 

health 
letter 

length 

many 

pleasant 

pelt 

never 

ready 

rested 



manly 

madly 

maddest 

matches 

nap 

napping 

nag 

patter 

patting 

patted 

pan 

plan 

planned 



traps 

trapping 

tracks 

travels 

than 

unhappy 

value 

valley 

wrap 

wagged 

wrapping 

wagon 

wagging 



tell 

vest 

whether 

whet 

when 

wed 

wedding 

Wednesday 

yellow 

yesterday 

spell 

sent 

himself 

present 

Nellie 

stem 

Ella 

dressed 



guess 

bread 

forget 

heavy 

dead 

petted 

said 

seven 

themselves 

redbreast 

telling 

ahead 

fences 

fretted 

twelve 

twenty 

seconds 

February 



How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



sent 


resting 


thread 


September 


sending 


tenth 


plenty 


November 


i 


hitch 


picked 


twinkle 


bit 


hitching 


pickle 


twigs 


build 


hitched 


pimple 


timid 


built 


hissing 


pistol 


tingle 


building 


Indians 


pity 


thimble 


busy 


inches 


pinch 


thinking 


bigger 


jingle 


pictures 


until 


begins 


Kitty 


richer 


visited 


children 


kitten 


ribbon 


visitor 


cripple 


kitchen 


ripple 


vineyard 


chips 


kindle 


richest 


willing 


city 


kissed 


swimming 


whistled 


chicken 


killing 


sixty 


win 


crickets 


live 


ship 


winter 


distance 


listen 


singing 


window 


dinner 


little 


silk 


willow 


drinking 


licked 


sticking 


wished 


drifted 


limping 


sitting 


wintry 


filled 


mill 


singers 


whittle 


fingers 


missed 


sick 


whittling 


fitted 


minute (it) 


silly 


whistling 


forgive 


mischief 


silver 


whinny 


fifty 


million 


swiftly 


widow 


fifteen 


mix 


think 


women 


given 


milking 


thing 


wishing 


gift 


nimble 


tin 




6 


dollar 


long 


robbing 


Boston 


Dolly 


moral 


rocked 


box 


Dot 


mock 


stopped 



Outline of Study for Intennediate Division. 189 



blossom 


doll 


mocking 


spotted 


belong 


forgot 


often 


sorry 


broth 


frog 


offer 


song 


bottom 


frolic 


odd 


songster 


across 


follow 


oran-ge 


strong 


aloft 


frost 


oranges 


scoff 


cobweb 


forehead 


ofiice 


soften 


cost 


flocks 


pocket book 


stock 


copper 


forest 


prompt 


stronger 


coffee 


frosty 


prong 


scholars 


closet 


followed 


polish 


sorrel 


cloth 


forgotten 


popper 


softly 


common 


gone 


popped 


tomorrow 


comic 


gossip 


popcorn 


tossed 


cough 


hod 


promise 


trot 


copy 


honest 


pond 


tongs 


crop 


knock 


robin 


tosses 


dog 


knob 


rocks 


yonder 


drops 


lost 


robber 


trough 


doctor 


lock 


robbed 


was 





depot 


notes 


showed 


ago 


Flora 


open 


soldier 


although 


frozen 


owner 


stone 


broken 


four 


only 


scold 


bones 


folks 


oral 


soar 


both 


floor 


older 


sore 


bow 


forth 


October 


sober 


bold 


fourth 


pony 


throws 


before 


growth 


portrait 


throat 


coasters 


grown 


poultry 


though 


coax 


goes 


pork 


told 



I90 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



closed 


going 


poured 


tore 


core 


home 


rolled 


toward 


comb 


hold 


rougue 


vote 


clothes 


homely 


Rosa 


voting 


coarse 


hoed 


road 


whole 


cloak 


Joe 


sold 


wholesome 


coat 


known 


store 


wholly 


colt 


more 


show 


holy 


cold 


moment 


shown 


won't 


core 


moan 


shone 


worn 


coals 


noble 


sofa 


wore 


door 


notice 


story- 







cushion 


hood 


stood 


bush 


full 


hook 


shook 


bo~6k 


forsook 


looked 


wood 


cook 


foot 


pull 


would 


crooked 


good 


push 


wooden 


P 


cocoon 


coop 


croup 


canoe 


caboose 


cool 


do 


0-U 


hoot 


ooze 


soon 


brute 


hoof 


prove 


tool^ 


boot 


loose 


pool 


tooth 


bruise 


lose 


roof 


two 


bouquet 


loom 


room 


threw 


broom 


loop 


roost 


through 


balloon 


mood 


rule 


you'll 


bosoni 


moose 


root 


you've 


droop 


moon 


rude 


you're 


drooping 


noon 


raccoon 


your 


fool 


rnove 


roomy 


who 


food 


poor 


saloon 


whooping 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 191 



u 


cure 


flute 


newspaper 


blue 


cube 


few 


news 


acute 


cruel 


fluted 


knew 


ague 


chew 


glue 


pupil 


amuse 


duty 


grew 


pure 


beauty 


due 


music 


perfume 


beautiful 


dewdrop 


mule 


puny 


blew 


dew 


new 


Susan 


a 


calf 


half 


papa 


aunt 


calm 


hearth 


pardon 


ah 


calves 


harm 


psalm 


Arthur 


dart 


halves 


party 


arm 


darted 


launch 


salve 


bars 


darling 


largest 


sparkles 


balm 


farmer 


lark 


sparkled 


carcass 


father 


laughed 


starved 


can't 


farther 


laugh 


start 


Charles 


gape 


mamma 


snarl 


charm 


garden 


maam 


tardy 


charcoal 


grandpa 


path 


taunt 


charge 


guard 


palm 


varnish 


a 


amass 


chance 


cast 


ask 


alas 


clasp 


casket 


asked 


basket 


class 


command 


after 


brass 


contrast 




band 


grass 


mask 


pasture 


dance 


graft 


mastiff" 


task 


draft 


lance 


pastor 


vast 


demand 


mast 


plaster 


waft 


a 


favorite 


maple 


raindrop 


able 


gayly 


pnaiden 


railroad 



192 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



afraid 

apron 

aye 

baby 

blades 

Babel 

became 

basement 

cakes 

casement 

chase 

danger 

daily 

David 

failing 

failure 



air 

heir 

bear 

bare 

care 

careless 

careful 

6-a 
autumn 
August 
auburn 
organ 
born 
because 



great 

game 

greatly 

graceful 

grate 

hay-making 

James 

lace 

ladies 

lazy 

Mary 

making 

made 

Maine 

Maryland 

matron 

caring 

chair 

compare 

dare 

declare 

daring 

fair 

farewell 



called 

calling 

for 

lordship 

Lord 

morning 

mortal 



neighs 

named 

namesake 

patron 

patient 

payment 

paid 

plain 

paints 

pale 

playmate 

playing 

playful 

razor 

raining 

rainbow 

hair 

hare 

lair 

mare 

ne'er 

pare 

pear 

rare 



northem 

normal 

naughty 

nor 

pauper 

saucer 

short 



Sarah 

shaped 

stable 

shake 

sailors 

shade 

saving 

they 

taking 

today 

taste 

taken 

vacation 

wakes 

waken 

waved 

share 

scare 

stare 

stair 

scarce 

stairway 

where 

wearing 

saucy 

storm 

stormy 

walk 

walking 

always 

drawing 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 193 



e- T-u 


circulate 


first 


learn 


bird 


durst 


fur 


mirth 


birth 


dirt 


further 


purr 


curling 


earnest 


girl 


purse 


certain 


earl 


heard 


pearl 


curve 


earth 


hurry 


prefer 


curry 


fern 


jerk 


servant 


e 


cheering 


gleaming 


nearest 


beat 


dreary 


greasy 


next 


beaten 


deeds 


hearing 


neat 


bead 


ear-rings 


heedless 


needy 


beak 


even 


jeering 


seas 


bee-tree 


evening 


keen 


seals 


bee-bread 


eastward 


kneels 


scream 


creeps 


eastern 


leaping 


stealing 


creek 


eaten 


leaves 


speaking 


creak 


fearful 


least 


see-saw 


cream 


fearless 


leaning 


seam 


cheating 


feast 


meeting 


seashore 


cheese 


feeling 


mince-meat 


tea-set 


cheerful 


free 


needed 


weeded 


cheerless 


greedy 


needle 




1 


frightened 


mining 


sight 


brighten 


fight 


minding 


shining 


brighter 


Friday 


miles 


sunshine 


bedtime 


flying 


miser 


smiled 


buy 


goodbye 


nine 


lively 


bridle 


giant 


nineteen 


lighter 


alike 


grinding 


ninety 


tiny 


awhile 


hiring 


outside 


trifles 


aUye 


hiding 


idle 


tighten. 



1 94 How to Grade atid 



Teach a Country School. 



cider 

aside 

cries 

crying 

dime 

drying 

diamond 

finding 

ou 
around 
bound 
brown 
counted 
crown 
coward 
crowded 
cloud 
clown 



inside 

July 

kite 

knife 

kindness 

lying 

lighten 

lightning 

drown 

drowned 

dov/n 

downcast 

frown 

found 

flowers 

ground 

growl 

horn-owl 



oi coiling 

boil foil 

boyhood hoist 

broiling loyal 



prize 

ripened 

riding 

iron 

replied 

side 

strikes 

surprise 

hour 

out 

hound 

howls 

loud 

mouse 

mound 

mouth 

mountain 

mount 

noisy 
poison 
royal 
toy-shop 



trifled 

tied 

vine 



writing 



wild- 



geese 



noun 

pronoun 

plow 

pounding 

rounding 

sound 

town 

without 



voice 
voyage 



In Fourth Reader arrange words of a lesson with 
reference to syllabication, taking monosyllables one 
day, dissyJlables another, trisyllables another, etc. 

Make lists of words accented upon the first syllable; 
upon the second; upon the third. 

Encourage members of the Fourth Reader class to 
purchase small dictionaries, but do not insist upon it. 

In this division the pupils should be taught to recog- 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 195 

nize the common derivative words, and from them to 
determine the primitive ones, and viee versa. 

The meaning- of prefixes and suffixes, if learned at 
all, must be learned in the reader, not in the speller. 
This exercise should begin here and advance with the 
reading. 

Do not allow pupils to attempt to read beyond their 
comprehension. Let pupils bring story books from 
home to read aloud in the class. 

Have pupils accent words upon any syllable for 
developing the power and use of the voice. 

Memorize selections containing gems of thought. 

( Write these sentences, using this /or these and these /or this.) 

1. Is this horse blind? 9. These lights shine. 

2. Is this my knife? 10. This mouse runs. 

3. Are these books sold? 11. This goose swims. 

4. This is the ox. 12. Is this fly on the cup? 

5. See this fox! 13. These pages are black. 

6. Did you read this page? 14. Is this my marble? 

7. These cats were crying. iS- These are my shoes. 

8. This song was sung. 16. Is this the key? 

(Rewrite this on the slates, putting in capitals and punctuation marks. This is " busy, 
work" for the slate.) 

they could not find minnie aunt nellie looked, and 
cousin lucy looked, and mamma looked who did find 
her do you know yes, i know who found her dick found 
her shall i tell you who dick was he was a dog he found 
minnie in lucy's trunk what was she doing in the trunk 
she was asleep in the trunk is not a trunk a funny bed 
could i sleep in a trunk am i too big lucy was a little 
girl she could sleep in a trunk would you like to sleep 
in a trunk 



196 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

ORTHOGRAPHY. 

If the spelling book is used at all it should not be 
introduced before the pupil enters the Fourth Reader 
grade. Spell every new word in the reader when first 
found and constantly review those likely to be mis- 
spelled. Spell all proper names from the geography 
likely to be missed. Do this in other branches, also. 

Place all pupils who are qualified to do the work in 
the advanced spelling as outlined in Advanced Division. 

Rule slates or paper like the following: place the 
derivatives in the first column, the primitive with the 
prefix or suffix in the second, the meaning in the third. 



Derivative. 



Primitive -f- suffix. 



Meaning. 



finer 

brighter 

boldly 

rudely 

leader 

teacher 

reader 

speaker 

commander 



fine + er 
bold + ly 



lead + er 



more fine 

in a bold manner. 

one who leads. 



BEN FRANKLIN S WHARF. 



ca-reer, course of life. 
con-ven ience, accomoda- 
tion, benefit. 
culprits, wrong-doers. 
ex-ploit, noteworthy deed. 
magis-trate, fjidge. 



plight (plTt), condition., 
state. 

prin ci-ples, rules of con- 
duct. 

re-proof, rebuke, censure. 

veri-ly, truly. 



I. When Benjamin Franklin was a boy he was very 
fond of fishing; and in the story of his life, written by 



OtLtlinc of Study for Intermediate Division. 1 97 

himself in later years, he gives an amusing account of 
an exploit that grew out of this sport. 

2. It seems that the place where Ben and his play- 
mates used to fish was a marshy spot on the outskirts 
of the town of Boston. On the edge of the water 
there was a deep bed of clay, in which the boys were 
forced to stand while they caught their fish. • 

3. "This is very uncomfortable," said Ben Franklin 
one day to his comrades, while they were all standing 
in the quagmire. 

•"So it is," said the other boys. "What a pity we 
have no better place to stand on!" 

4. Now, it chanced that scattered round about lay 
a great many large stones which were to be used for 
the cellar and foundation of a new house. Ben 
mounted upon the highest of these stones. 

5. "Boys," said he, "I have thought of a plan. 
You know what a plague it is to have to stand in the 
quagmire yonder, — over shoes and stockings in mud 
and water. See, I am bedaubed to the knees, and you 
are all in the same plight. 

6. "Now I propose that we build a wharf. You see 
these stones? The workmen mean to use them for 
building a house here. My plan is to take these same 
stones, and carry them to the edge of the water, and 
build a wharf with them. What say you, lads? Shall 
we do it?" 

7. "Yes, yes," cried the boys: "that's the very 
thing!" So it was agreed that they should all be on 
the spot that evening as soon as the workmen had gone 
home. 

8. Promptly at the appointed time the boys met. 



1 98 How to Grade and Teach a Con7ttry School. 

They worked like beavers, sometimes two or three of 
them taking hold of one stone; and at last they had 
carried them all away, and built tlieir little wharf. 

9. "Now, boys," cried Ben, when the job was done, 
"let's give three cheers, and ^o home to bed. To- 
morrow we may catch fish at our ease." The cheers 
were given with a will, and the boys scampered off 
home and to bed, to dream of to-morrow's sport. 

TO. The next morning the masons came to begin 
their work. But what was their surprise to find the 
stones all gone! The master-mason, looking carefully 
on the ground, saw the tracks of many little feet lead- 
ing down to the water-side. Following these he soon 
found what had become of the missing building-stones. 

11. "Ah! I see through it," said he: "those little 
rascals who were here yesterday have stolen the stones 
to build a wharf with. And I shouldn't wonder if Ben 
Franklin was the ringleader. I must see about this." 

12. He was so angry that he at once went to make 
a complaint before the magistrate; and his Honor wrote 
an order to "take the bodies of Benjamin Franklin, and 
other evil-disposed persons," who had stolen a heap of 
stones. 

13. If the owner of the stolen property had not 
been more merciful than the master-mason, it might 
have gone hard with our friend Benjamin and his com- 
rades. But, luckily for them, the gentleman was 
amused at the smartness of the boys; so he let the 
culprits off easily. 

14. But the poor boys had to go through another 
trial, and receive sentence, and suffer punishment, too, 
from their own fathers. Many a rod was worn to the 



Outline of Stu iy for Intenncdiate Division. 199 

stump on that unlucky night. As for Ben, he was less 
afraid of a whipping than of his father's reproof. And 
indeed, his father zvas very much disturbed. 

15. "Benjamin, come hither," said the stern old 
man. The boy approached and stood before his father's 
chair. "Benjamin," said his father, "what could induce 
you to take property which did not belong to you!" 

16. "Why, Father," replied Ben, hanging his head 
at first, but then lifting his eyes to Mr. Franklin's face, 
"if it had been merely for my own benefit, I never 
should have dreamed of it. But I knew that wharf 
would be a public convenience. If the owner of the 
stones should build a house with them, nobody will 
enjoy any advantage but himself. Now, I made use of 
them in a way that was for the advantage of many 
persons." 

17. "My son," said Mr. Franklin solemnly, "so far 
as it was in your power, you have done a greater harm 
to the public than to the owner of the stones. I do 
verily believe, Benjamin, that almost all the public and 
private misery of mankind arises from a neglect of this 
great truth, — that evil can produce only evil, that good 
ends must be wrought out by good means." 

18. To the end of his life, Ben Franklin never for- 
got this conversation with his father; and we have 
reason to suppose, that, in most of his public and 
private career, he sought to act upon the principles 
which that good and wise man then taught him. 

These questions will give an idea as to what may 
be selected by the teacher to bring out the knowl- 
edge of the pupil. The lesson given is sufficient for an 
ordinary week's work in a country school, if the sugges- 



200 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

tion of reading review lessons for practice, as given on 
another page, is followed. The teacher will find near 
the school house a ditch, creek, or pond, where, by the 
use of a few pebbles or bricks, the boys may be taught 
to construct a wharf. Make them see clearly the mean- 
ing of wharf and why the boys wanted one. Then 
write on the board, (let pupils use slates in answering.) 

What is the subject? What is a wharf? Who was 
Franklin? Find out something about him. Where 
was he born? Where did he live? What is a story? 
Who wrote the story of Franklin's life? Mark the 
words wharf, written, amusing, sport. Write the 
words in the first paragraph containing oi or oy, e, e, 
i, ou. 

The above is fully suflficient for one lesson. Perhaps 
it could be better given in two. Continuing from day 
to day, the teacher should also add such questions as 
these: What word or words could you place in the 
place of "amusing account"? of "exploit"? of "sport"? 
Write these words in columns, piacing opposite to each 
its synonym. The following questions are suggestive 
and may be continued at the teacher's discretion. 
Have the above and other questions answered by pupils 
on their slates. 

TO BE ANSWERED UPON THE SLATES. 

What is the subject? Find all you can about Ben. 
Franklin. Where was he born? Where did he live? 
What was he fond of? What is a story? Who wrote 
the story of Benjamin Franklin's life? What is meant 
by later years? What does he tell in this story? 
What is amusing? What is an exploit? Who are play- 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 201 



mates? Where did Ben and his playmates fish? 
Define marshy. What is meant by the "outskirts of 
Boston?" Where is Boston? Can you tell anything 
about Boston? Have you heard of Bunker Hill? Of 
the "Boston Tea Party?" Did these boys fish in a 
creek or pond? What is a creek? A pond? Where 
did they stand while fishing? What did Ben say to his 
comrades? What did the boys answer? Write and 
v[i2iYk fishing, amusing , marshy y caught, quagmire, com- 
rades. Write in columns the words containing a, a, a, 
a, e, e, i, a or 6. Arrange the derivatives, thus: 

fishing fish + ing 

later late+er 

written write + en 

amusing amuse -hing 

marshy marsh + y 

forced force + ed 
uncomfortable un + comfort + able 

standing stand 4-ing 

Write the names of parts of the following objects: 
Shoes, clocks, chairs, windows, bells, hats, wheel, 
broom, door, cent, apple, tree, kind of trees, bucket, 
knife, pins, lead pencil, cup. 

Name some articles made of these materials: 

gold cotton 

straw leather 

glass marble 

bone paper 

iron copper 

Occupations. — Write sentences, telling what each of 
the following do: 

peddler caterer pilot 

confectioner dentist salesman 



more late 

like a marsh 
not comfortable 



wool 


tin 


wood 


slate 


hair 


lead 


flour 


wire 


lime 


milk 



grocer 
baker 



202 How to Grade and Teach a Conntry School. 



shoemaker 

printer 

jeweler 

tailor 

miner 

barber 

engraver 

tinker 

toolmaker 

druggist 

stone-cutter 

gun-smith 

mason 



currier 

miller 

engineer 

stationer 

merchant 

broker 

importer 

upholsterer 



cashier 

moulder 

policeman 

fireman 

coachman 

surveyor 

seamstress 

detective 



book-binder juror 
clothier auctioneer 

banker clerk 

compositor 
furrier 



astronomer 

actor 

operator 

messenger 

conductor 

sculptor 

manager 

comedian 

postman 

gilder 

weigher 



wheelwright prophet 
vender usher 



Have the spelling class to spell on their slates some 
ten or twenty words. Select a committee from the 
class to correct the errors and do the marking. Hold 
them responsible for the correct marking. 

Give lessons on familiar objects, thus: 
Cat — Kitteti. 
parts body nostrils 

head ears tongue 

neck hair whiskers 

legs fur paws 

feet teeth claws 

tail eyes doings 



runs 

climbs 

mews 

purs 

laps milk 

catches mice 



teeth 
eyes 

The cat laps milk. 
The cat has two eyes. 

Extend this so as to make sentences, using all of the 
above words. Have it all written. Be sure to examine it. 
Use these words in the same way: 



dog — 


pup 


cow 


calf 


sheep — 


lamb 


horse — 


colt 


goat — 


kid 


hen — 


chick or chicken 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 203 



mice 


spiders 


birds 


roaches 


deer 


gnats 


foxes 


butterflies 



Name the parts, kinds and actions of the following 
animals: 

fish clams 

oysters crabs 

turtles mussels 

mosquitoes rabbits 

Write the names of things in the sitting room; in the 
dining room; in the kitchen; made of wood; made of 
iron. 

Write 20 words containing the sound of a. 

» e. 

" i. 

" " a. 

" o. 

" " u. 

<( (( « V 

" e. 

'• u. 
" " ou— ow. 

Write the names of things bought or sold by the 
pound; by the yard; by the acre. Write the names of 
all the boys in this school; of all the girls. How do 
you begin each word? Write the names of objects 
in the room; on the school ground; that you might see 
on your way to or from school. 

Give frequent exercises, naming some topic, as Arith- 
metic, requiring the pupil to spell all the principal terms 
connected with it. Encourage them in securing the 
largest lists; thus: 



204 How to Grade and TeacJi a Coujitry School. 





ARITHMETIC. 




NOTATION. 


NUMERATION. 


NUMBERS. 


Arabic. 


French. 


abstract, 


Roman. 


English. 


concrete. 


WEIGHTS. 


ADDITION. 


whole, 
fractional. 


Apothecaries. 


plus. 


simple. 


grain. 


addend. 


compound. 


scruple, 
drachm, 
ounce, 
pound. 

Avoirdupois. 


SUBTRACTION, 
minuend, 
subtrahend, 
difference, 
remainder. 


FRACTIONS, 
common, 
proper, 
improper, 
single, 
simple, 
complex, 
compound, 
decimal, 
pure, 
mixed. 


dram. 

ounce. 

pound. 

quarter. 

hundred weight 

ton 


minus. 

MULTIPLICATION, 
multiplier, 
multiplicand, 
product. 


Troy. 


DIVISION. 




grains. 


dividend. 


TABLES. 


pennyweight. 


divisor. 


Money. 


ounce. 


quotient. 


Federal. 


pound, etc. 


remainder. 


English. 



Have tables like these writen out on slates: 
age pupils to find other words. 

Namea of th i ngs Vegetables. 

on or about a i u 
,■> herbs 

farm. 

beans 
farmer peas 

farm corn 

acres beet 

tenant squash 



Encour- 



Family. 


A boy may be 


father 


apt 


papa 


quick 


mother 


merry 


mamma 


blithe 


son 


busy 


daughter 


kind 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 205 



farmhouse 


pumpkin 


child 


laughing 


trough 


potatoes 


children 


gentle 


tools 


turnip 


baby 


clean 


implements 


sprouts 


brother 


washed 


utensils 


parsnip 


sister 


mended 


harrow 


radish 


grandpa 


healthy 


cultivator 


lettuce 


grandma 


well-dressed 


reaper 


cabbage 


uncle 


well-behaved 


mower 


onion 


aunt 




thresher 


sweet potato 


cousin 


dull 


pitchfork 


watermelons 


nephew 






barnyard 


asparagus 


niece 






poultry 


tomato 


grandson 






plow 


horse radish 


grandaughter 






hoe 


mustard 


grandchild 






rake 


muskmelon 


brother-in-lav 


, 




horses 


cucumbers 


sister-in-law 






t 


mushrooms 
pickles 


father-in-law 
mother-in-la\^ 




mules 




cows 




haystack 


sourkrout 


wife 










husband 





In the following methods, which have all been found 
beneficial, some are standard, that is, may be used 
longer than others without varying. Do not use any 
one too long, nor change too often. Hold fast to the 
good, and vary with the occasional methods. 

I. 

Each reading the same paragraph or stanza. Have 
each pupil to read the same division, to see who will 
make the fewest mistakes. If you can convince your 
pupils that your desire is for their success, you can suc- 
ceed well by this method. 



2o6 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

11. 

Name a certain number o{ lines (three or four, or a 
sentence) which the pupil may read, requiring him to 
go back to the beginning every time he makes a mis- 
take, until he makes none to be noted especially. You 
will find your pupils soon becoming careful, accurate, 
and proficient under this method. 

III. 

Divide your class into two or more sections; have 
the first read a sentence or two lines; the second read 
the following sentences or lines, etc. This will keep all 
the class attentive. 

IV. 

This is essentially the same as the individual reading, 
except having the class read by two's in concert. By 
this method each pupil may read twice as much as by 
individual reading and the teacher is not materially 
hindered from noticing individual mistakes. It is a good 
way. 

V. 

Let the teacher read one line or sentence; the class 
the next, etc. If the teacher be a good reader this will 
prove a good method, otherwise it is shortlived. 

VI. 
Repeating after the teacher has about the same to 
commend it as the preceding. It is a good way if the 
teacher is a good reader. 

VII. 

Let the pupils read singly, by couples, and in con- 
cert, looking off the book as much as possible. This will 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. .207 

train them to see more than one word at a time. Select a 
simple piece at first, afterwards making the selections 
more difficult. Keep this up until the pupils can nearly 
or wholly see one line at a glance. The benefits of this 
method are that it enables the pupil to read the thought, 
to give his hearers expressions of intelligence and 
emotion through looks and gestures. He is enabled to 
give an intelligent reproduction of the selections. 

VIII. 

Let one pupil begin and read until you call upon 
another. Let the first cease as soon as the second is 
called, even if he is in the midst of a sentence, phrase 
or word. Have the other begin where the first left off. 
When the second fails to begin right, call a third, fourth 
or fifth, etc. , until it is read correctly. Do not call in reg- 
ular order. Do not allow any whispering or other con- 
fusion to detract from the attention of the class. Call 
oftener on the lazy and careless pupils. 

IX. 

Select one, two, or three pupils for critics, calling 
them "Critic No. i ," "Critic No. 2," "Critic No. 3," etc. 
Name two or three lines to be read by a member of the 
class. After he has finished, it is the duty of No. i to 
rise and point out all the mistakes made. After he is 
through, call on the class for any he may have failed to 
see. Select another sentence or number of lines. 
Proceed with No. 2, as with No. i, etc., until each has 
done his part at criticising. Do not allow several pupils 
to give the same criticism, merely signifying it by raising 
hand is sufficient. Call upon one to give his criticism, 
all others having only the same will then lower their 



2o8 How to Grade and Teach a Coihitry School. 

hands. Do not allow pupils to interrupt by attempting 
to correct a pupil while reading. Do not allow pupils 
to raise hands while a member of the class is ♦-eciting. 
And never permit a criticism before you request it. By 
following this plan, criticism is useful in the highest 
degree; otherwise it is not. 

The preceding are standard methods, and can all be 
used with good results. 

X. 

Let the pupils read in successive order, the teacher 
noticing the first error, when the next corrects the 
error, and, beginning where the first left off, reads until 
an error is committed, which is corrected by the third, 
and so on. Be careful in this method, as the best 
readers will read most, thus depriving the poorest of 
that which they need most, the drill. 

XI. 

Read to mistake judged by the pupil who reads from 
that point. Let pupils raise hands where mistake is 
made, the teacher selecting the one to correct it, and 
follow in reading. Call on the poorer readers oftener. 

XIL 

An occasional method is the medley. Select some 
easy poem where the lines are of about equal length. 
Have A begin; he reads the first line; as he begins the 
second, let B commence with the first. A then reads 
the third, B the second, and C the first, etc., until all, 
are reading at the same time, while each is reading a 
different lin^. This develops concentration and force. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Divisiofi. 209 

XIII. 
Read to punctuation mark. 

XIV. 



Read a sentence. 
Read a line. 



XV. 



XVI. 



Let first pupil read a line, second repeat it, third read 
second line, 4th repeat it, etc. 

XVII. 

Let first read two lines, second repeat second line 
and read third line, etc. 

XVIII. 

Let A read the first word; B the first and second; C 
the first, second and third; D the first, second, third 
and fourth, etc., each pupil repeating all that has been 
read before and adding one word. 

XIX. 

Try same plan as preceding, using a line of poetry 
instead of a single word. This is an excellent way for 
the class to memorize a poem. 

XX. 

Teacher read, members of class giving the thought 
afterwards in their own words. 

ORAL GEOGKAPHY — INTERMEDIATE DIVISION. 

Object. — To prepare the pupil for the use of the text 
book by giving him the primary ideas of the subject. 



2 10 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

and by teaching him the use of maps together with 
their geographical symbols. 

Materials. — The globe, maps, when needed. 

Extent. — The primary ideas with a fair oral course 
in the geography of the school district, the township, 
the county, the state and the United States. A brief 
view of the globe as a whole. 

Organize a class of pupils from the Second and Third 
Readers together with those who have never studied 
geography from the Fourth Reader. It will not be 
best to require those from the last reader to enter the 
class in many districts, as this will be antagonistic to 
the notions of both pupil and patron. In such cases 
the little ones can be controlled and prepared for the 
text book, while the Fourth Reader pupils are passing 
out of the school without any geography. The classifi- 
cation can only be perfected in this manner. 

It is of the greatest importance that you lead the 
child to see the facts without telling him; that is, ever 
guide him in the pursuit of knowledge, but let him find 
out ^X^Q fact and tell it himself. The child acquires a 
real knowledge of things by actual observation, hence 
we should employ the senses in leading him to see 
things. Whenever practicable bring the object before 
the class; better still, have the pupils furnish the objects 
when practicable. Give the pupil much to do in these 
exercises; hands and feet are valuable aids to the mind; 
use them to that purpose. 

Be brief and pointed; a few minutes with eyes and 
hearts all alive are worth a half hour of listless, sleepy 
work. 

If necessary, spend several days upon a lesson, only 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division, 21 1 

be sure that the pupil comprehends it before you drop 
it. Come back to last lesson for a minute to fix car- 
dinal truths, or to test the pupil's knowledge. 

It is absolutely necessary that you make special daily 
preparation for the lesson; without this you can hope 
for no good results. The teacher must have "the spirit 
and the understanding. " 

OCTOBER — THE PRIMARY IDEA OF TIME, POSITION, AND 
DIRECTION. 

Secure the statement that the light is called day and 
the darkness night. That days are long in summer and 
short in winter; that the nights are the reverse. That the 
winter evenings are long and those of the summer short. 
That day and night taken together constitute a day, {d.nat- 
ural d3.y.) That some nations began the day at sunrise, 
(Babylonians,) others at sunset, (Jews,) and others at 
midnight. Our day begins and ends at midnight, 
(called a civil day.) That there are 24 hours in a day. 

That the sun rises about o'clock and sets about 

o'clock. That the clock strikes 12 times in a half- 
day, 6 times from 6 o'clock to 12, 3 times from 9 o'clock 
to 12, I time each hour, etc. That there are three 
hours in a half-day session of school, six hours in a day 
session; fifteen minutes in a recess, number of recesses 
in an hour; time of a recitation; time to recess; time 
to eat breakfast; time of noon recreation; — at this point 
have pupils learn time table if they do not already 
know it. 

Exhibit clock or watch; it will add to the interest to 
ask all the little folks who own a dumb watch to bring 
them to school, and then have them used in illustrating 



2 1 2 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

the following lessons: That the hands move to the right 
hand from XII; the minute (long) hand moves more 
rapidly than the hour hand; their use; the nsc o^ clocks 
and watches, how to tell the time of day by the hands. 
That noon marks show the time at nooji — useless, when? 
Here tell the class of King Alfred's notched candles and 
how he determined the time by them. Draw picture of 
hour glass, or contrive one from the ^gg shell; this may 
be nicely done by placing a piece of cardboard uoon a 
glass, taking a half shell, puncturing it at the apex, 
setting it within a hole cut in the cardboard and filling 
it with find sand; the sand will pass through the opening 
and may be seen falling within the glass. Children will 
be delighted with this. Erect a rude sun dial upon the 
door sill, or if the noonday sun shines through a window, 
upon the sill of same; use a cardboard and simply pass 
a long nail upward through it; by noting the noon hour, 
use rule and pencil to draw noon mark, then as the 
shadow turns, draw hour marks in same manner. If 
encouraged some ingenious boy will construct a dial, 
decorated with drawings in pencil. Show the children 
how they may make a pocket dial from a pill box and 
a piuy (the pin may be carried within the box when not 
in use.) 

If not already known attend to the number and days 
of the week; weeks in a month; weeks and months in 
a year; repeat timetable. 

That to the right is at the hand, and to the left 

is at the hand; to the front is in of you 

and at the back is in the of you. Have pupils 

name lists of objects in front of them, at the back, at 
the right; thus, "the table is in front of me;" "the door 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 213 

is at my back. " Extend this to objects in the vicinity 
of the school. Have pupils change position and review; 
name numerous objects and have pupils locate by giving 
position; name pairs of objects and have pupils give 
position with relation to each other. 

Place objects upon the table and have the position 
given by reference to the edge of the table as th.Q front, 
back, etc. 

By using the corn, buttons, beans, etc., the wide 
awake teacher may vary this exercise upon position by 
fixing a bean as a central object, and then have pupils 
place two red grains at the left, one white one at the 
right, three beans at the back and four shoe pegs (or 
other objects) in front of the bean. 

Hold a stick (tooth-pick) in a vertical position, have 
pupils do same, then ask one to draw a vertical line; 
have class to draw several vertical lines. In same man- 
ner, secure the horizontal line. Have them point out 
vertical and horizontal objects in and about the room, 
(the walls, the floor, the table, the door, the stove- 
pipe, etc.) 

Secure a knowedge of the slanting position in the 
same manner. Parallel lines and angles in the same 
way. Have them make these latter by using the tooth- 
picks thus: 1 + Z- V X 

Broom wire may be used to teach curved lines. 

Take the children into the yard or street (at noon) and 
have them make a little heap of earth; find slaiiting 
side, Jiorizontal top, vertical side, parallel sides or 
gutters. 

Develop the idea of surface by means of objects; an 
empty box is best; show the inside and the outside, etc. 



214 Hoin) to Grade and Teach a Country Schoot. 

Pupils face the rising sun, the setting sun, the noon- 
day sun; the sun rises in the , and sets in the ; 

have them face the , the ; tell the direction of 

the shadow at , , and ; have them face 

shadow at noon; this is north and their backs are 
toward the south; in their position their right hands 

are at the , their left at the , etc. Have pupils 

face and point in these directions, giving position of 
hands; proceed to sides of room, ends, to objects, 
securing statements as to direction of objects. 

Have pupils walk so many steps toward the south, 
the north, etc.; consider direction of the cracks in the 
floor, of the different edges of the table, sides of the 
room, ends of the room; name objects in different 
directions from the school-room; have pupils give 
direction they walk in going to and from school; in 
going home. 

Have pupils draw chalk lines in certain directions 
upon the floor, upon the board, (here assist them in 
drawing the north and south line.) 

Teach the intermediate (semi-cardinal) points in same 
manner. 

For review have two pupils take a long string and 
hold it by the ends; now have others tell the direction 
of each from the other; change position and question 
as before. Give direction of north wind; of south wind; 
of east wind, etc. 

Construct numerous sentences leaving blanks to be 
filled; have pupils copy these with blanks filled. 

Pass to the November work when the above is com 
pleted, do not wait for examination day to do so. 



Outline of Study for Iiitei'inediate Division. 215 

NOVEMBER. — THE PRIMARY IDEA OF DISTANCE, OF A 

MAP. 

Compare objects of different lengths; measure them 
with a foot rule, rather have pupils to do so; have 
pupils to draw lines of certain lengths upon the board; 
put them to measuring pencils, desks, slates, books, 
windows, the table, the floor, the platform, and have 
the measurements recorded by each individual in some 
such form as this: 

Oliver Rose. Eddie Morse. 

Pencil, 6 inches. Pencil, 7 inches, 

desk, II by 20 inches. desk, 12 by 20 inches, 

slate, 8 by 10 inches. slate, 8 by 12 inches, 

book, 4 by 6 inches. book, 5 by 6 inches, 

window, 3 feet. window 3 feet 2 inches, 

table, 2^ by 3 feet. table, 2^ by 3 feet, 

floor, 20 by 30 feet. floor, 20 by 30 feet, 

platform, 6 by 10 feet. platform 6 by lO feet. 

Inspect the record and check off all that are errone- 
ous. Have same re-measured and corrected. 

Have pupils to make yard measures frorn sticks, or 
laths; have these yard-sticks used in measuring the 
dimensions of the school lot, distances to objects. 
Have pupils stand some distance apart, guess the dis- 
tance and measure it. 

Have pupils make a rod measure from a line. Meas- 
ure greater distances with this. Compare distances of 
various objects; distance of pupils from the school; 
proceed in this manner until the child shows the dis- 
tance of a mile; to town, etc. 

Consider the upper part of the board as north, the 
bottom south, the right hand east, the left hand west; 



2i6 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 

draw a map of the school room on a definite scale, as 
an inch to the foot; locate objects upon the map, as 
door, windows, desks, table, chair, stove, aisles, etc; 
have pupils select their desks and indicate by initial 
letters of name. 

Have pupils locate all objects by actually pointing 
them out with the pointer and stating location in a well 
rounded sentence. Turn front the map to the real 
objects. Show what is meant by the boundaries of the 
room; of a farm. Pupils bound the school yard. Have 
each pupil to draw the map upon his slate. 

Draw small map of room, then the grounds aronnd 
it considerably larger, showing road, etc. 

Review thoroughly all the preceding directions upon 
the map including distance. Have pupils draw map 
upon their slates. 

Such a scheme as this, is an excellent one to furnish 
practice upon direction: 
T ^ [~ Which direction is i from 5? Two from 

9 5 25? Eight from 3? Seven from i? Six 

7 ^ ^ i from 4? Five from 6? 

Draw a neat map of your own township, upon a 
fixed scale; represent upon this map the objects known 
to the pupil; there will be roads, villages, streams, 
woods, hills, buildings, etc. 

Review all the preceding points upon distance, 
boundaries, etc. Continue this until the pupils are 
able to locate all the objects of interest within the 
township, and to draw a reasonably good map of it. 

Treat the symbols used for fixing these objects with 
care, as the pupil may get the impression that they 
represent size as well as location. 



Outline of Study fo?' Intermediate Division. 217 

HOME GEOGRAPHY. 

Take your pupils upon imaginary or real walks in 
different directions from the school house. Have them 
describe the surface of the country as they proceed; 
talk of a stream crossed, of rills, brooks, (rivulets, 
brooklets,) ponds, lakes, springs, deep and shallow 
water in streams, ripple, shoal, etc; of bridges, of hills, 
features of the valley if found, (the land adjacent to 
the stream represents a valley.) Talk of prairie and 
woodland. 

Review township map and note places passed in this 
walk; have pupils describe surface of ground in different 
parts of the township. Renew the walks and note the 
nature of the soil, whether stony, sandy, clayey, loamy, 
rich or poor, etc. Talk of the Sahara and of our 
western prairies. Have pupils name grains raised 
within the township; contrast these with the grains of 
China, of South Carolina, of Australia. Pupils make 
list of grains they have seen, some of which do not 
grow within the township. 

Visit the woods, have pupils list the trees found 
there; note the difference between a sapling and a 
shrub. Talk of a pine forest; of one in Central 
America or in Africa. 

Show the pupils a complete shrub and talk of the 
use of the roots, the stem, and the leaves. Explain 
how they grow froom seeds; when trees are burned the 
part received from the air goes back to air, ashes the 
part received from the ground. Charcoal, how made 
and use; food for animals; how to tell the age of trees; 
they do not grow in winter; talk of maple sugar and 
how made; of India rubber. 



2i8 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Pupils name different kinds of tree fruits; find pic- 
tures of different kinds of fruits and talk of them. 

Pupils name the domestic animals found in their 
vicinity; the use of each; tell which eat both animal 
and vegetable food; which eat only vegetable; kinds of 
products are wool, flax, cotton, feathers, etc. Pupils 
name wild animals found in the woods, upon the prairie, 
in houses, in barns, etc. How some animals live in 
winter; why some are killed whenever seen 

Pupils tell of the different races they have seen; tell 
what men do in different countries. The names applied 
to persons engaged in different callings; what each kind 
of persons do or make. Why a city is called a com- 
mercial or a manufacturing city. 

Pupils name different kinds of birds found here; 
birds of prey; domestic birds; talk of the owl and his 
large eyes; why blind in day; why he sees in the night 
time. Birds migrate at certain times; some stay all 
the year; find pictures of foreign birds and talk of 
them and what they can do. Pupils name reptiles and 
relate stories they have heard concerning them. What 
is beef, pork, fowl, veal, pig, mutton, fish, venison? 

Talk of spring and its growths; name the spring 
months; days grow longer, nights shorter, &c. Sum- 
mer; the position of the sun; haying and harvesting; 
names of summer months. Autumn or fall; sun nearer 
the horizon at noon; explain what is meant by horizon; 
the wild animals provide for winter, man gathers the 
fruits and vegetables for the winter's use; leaves fall, &c. 

Winter, short days and long nights; deep snow m 
some countries; where? snow-houses of the Esquimaux; 
many people never see snow and ice; where? 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 219 

The shorter the shadow of objects the more power 
the sun has; shadow shortest at noon, &c. 

Contrast shadow in the different seasons with the 
temperature; explain zenitJi, nadir. 

Show county map and calculate the time necessary ro 
walk across it in different directions at the rate of two 
miles per hour; locate the streams, hills, ponds, town- 
ships, county seat; note differences in surface and soil 
as found in the county. Draw neat map of county. 
Pupils point toward places named. 

GENERAL WORK. 
It is advised that the teacher give to every pupil a 
good knowledge of the county and of the township in 
which he lives. Give it to the entire school in the 
shape of general exercises rather than by class work. 
See to it that each one can draw a neat map of both. 
If any teacher feels unable to draw the maps, the Co. 
Supt. should aid him in so doing. A map of the 
county should be in every school house, and in such as 
have not been supplied with one, the teacher should 
put one on the board or upon paper. The following 
suggestions and items of interest are given to aid in the 
general work: 

'Boundaries. 
Area. 

Location in County. 
Population. 
Towns. 
Township. <( Railroads. 

Sections numbered. 
Churches. 

School houses located. 
Postoffice. 
^Objects of interest. 



220 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



County. -< 



Situation* 

Boundaries. 

Area. 

Population. 

No. of Townships. 

Railroads. 

Rivers, etc. 

C Animal. 
Products. < Vegetable. 

( Mineral. 
County Seat. 
Cities and Villages. 
Occupations of people. 
County officers. 

Rank among counties of the state. 
^ Outline maps. 

The teacher should have the pupils to make a list of 
townships in the county, and find the population of 
each, to place in a second column, the total making the 
census for the county. 

Such questions as the following are excellent to use 
as a general exercise for the whole school; in the use 
of them the teacher should encourage his pupils to ask 
others bearing upon the same topics. 

1. How is County bounded? 

2. What is the No. and R, of your township? What 
is its political name? 

3. What is the No. and name of your school district? 

4. What village or villages in your political township? 
What postoffices? 

5. What townships do not contain a railroad? A 
postoffice? 

6. What is the area of a school township? 

7. What is the area of ( ) County? 



Oiitlijie of Study for Intcnncdiate Division 221 

8. What the population by census of 1880? Of your 
township? 

9. What churches in your township? 

10. Give dimensions of the county. 

11. What river flows through the county, if any? 
What natural mounds? 

12. What coal mines have we, if any? 

13. Name your nearest railroad. 

14. How many railroad lines running into the county 
seat, if any? 

15. When was the county organized? When was 
( ) founded? 

16. Where is the poor farm? Of what use is it? 

17. Why do we have jails? Where is ours? What 
officer has charge of it? 

iS. What is a city? A village? 

19. What is meant by the Water Works of ( ?) 

(Teacher explain.) 

20. How is the river water purified for the use of the 
inhabitants of ( ?) 

21. From what has coal been formed? Why dig for 
it? Give its uses. 

22. Have we a court house? 

23. In what Great District is your school, if any? 

24. On what railroads would you pass in going from 

yourpostoffice to( ?) To ( ?) To ( ?) 

To( ?) To ( ?) To ( ?) Toeachof 

our State Normal Schools? To our penitentiaries? 

25. Who is your school treasurer? 

26. Who are your school directors? 

27. How can a pupil, who is a resident of one school 
district, attend school in another? 



222 How to Grade and Teach a Country School 

28. How many days must be actually taught in each 
district? 

29. How many, and what grades of teachers' certifi- 
cates? 

30. What is a calendar month? 

31. What are the school holidays? 

32. What three townships do not hold a special elec- 
tion for township trustee? Why? 

;i)2,' Name some articles manufactured in this county. 
What is a manufactory? 

34. Who is your supervisor or commissioner? What 
does he do as an officer? 

35. What justices of the peace do you know? How 
many are there in each township? 

^6. Name county offices with the officers. 

T)J . Where is the geographical center of the state? 

38. What parallel passes through this county? 

39. What means of income have our schools? 

40. What the cost of a year's school in a district? 

41. For what items is money paid? How paid? 

42. Let the teacher add such questions as he may see 
fit. 

Pass to the December work at once if completed to 
this point. 



DECEMBER — THE STATE OF- 



Suspend a map of your state before the class; have 
the county pointed out; the state is made up of coun- 
ties, the county of townships, the township of districts, 
the district of farms. 

Draw outline of county upon the board on same 
scale as the state map; the state as many times larger 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 223 

than the county, as the map is larger than the county 
map. Length and breadth of the state; find how long 
it would take to cross the state both ways by traveling 
a certain number of miles per day. Point out the cap- 
ital and the metropolis. Explain why the di (Terence 
in the terms as applied to these cities; talk of the gov- 
enor, and of the population; have pupils point toward 
each; take imaginary journey to capital and describe 
the surface, streams crossed, crops, cities passed, by 
what railroads, or by what other conveyance. Speak 
of the appearance of the capitol building, of other state 
building if any; compare population with that of your 
nearest village; take similar journey to the metropolis. 

Take journeys from the state capital and the metrop- 
olis to all parts of the state, describing and noting every 
point of interest as before. Continue this until all the 
important cities are considered and located; most cities 
have a nickname, give this to the children as they pro- 
gress — it will aid them to remember the location; talk of 
canals and their locks; of coal or iron; (if found) of the 
tunnels; of rolling mills; of nail factories; of glass 
factories (how glass is made); of steamboats and of 
canal boats; of distilleries; of flouring mills; of pork 
packing and slaughter houses; of water power and 
manufactories; of paper mills; of foundries; of car 
shops; of railroad center; of grain warehouses; talk of 
schooners, propellers, brigs, flatboats, steamers, etc. ; 
(if found within the state) of quarries; of lighthouse; 
(if any) of harbor; (if any) of landing; of monuments; 
of oil wells and petroleum; of the oldest town or city; 
(both in state and the United States) slack water navi- 
gation; (if any) of salt and salt works; of penitentiaries 



224 How to Grade and Teach a Countjy School. 



and why necessary; of state normal schools and why 
necessary; of colleges and where found. 

Apply the above only as found in connection with the 
cities studied. Go slowly and carefully, filling in all the 
points of interest, facts of importance, etc. 

Have a general talk about coal, iron, wool, hides, tal- 
low, beef, pork, furnaces, peaches, apples, apricots, 
plums, quinces, pears, cherries, grapes and vineyards, 
corn, wheat, oats, the soil, forests, prairies, limestone, 
butter, cheese, ancient mounds, etc., as you think 
these topics necessary; the true teacher will develop the 
keenest interest in these things as his classes move along; 
what can be of more interest than the processes of the 
different manufactories? The making of cheese can be 
made the topic for one of the most interesting exercises; 
have a pupil construct a cheese press from a pill box, 
a lever, a weight, and some cotton to represent the curd; 
explain the use of the rennet (runnet.) 

A very excellent scheme for summarizing the result 
of the observation is something similar to the following: 

Boundaries. 

Area. 

Population. 

Surface. 

Soil and Production. 

Climate. 

Minerals. 



REVIEW 

and 

SUMMARY 



<J Manufactures and Commerce. 
Internal Improvements. 
Education. 
Cities. 
Rivers. 
Lakes. 

Hills or Mountains, 
Objects of Interest, 



Outline of Study for lutermediate Division. 225 

After a thorough understanding of all the points out- 
lined above it is well to have some pointed questions 
upon the map, and to have them fully answered; in 
order to illustrate this we have appended a few sample 
questions upon the State of Illinois; thus, 

QUESTIONS ON THE MAP. 

What state bounds Illinois on the north? What state 
on the east? What lake northeast? What river forms 
part of the eastern boundary? What state on the 
south? What river between Illinois and Kentucky? 
What river forms the western boundary? From what 
two states does it separate Illinois? What river drains 
the southeastern part of the state? Into what does the 
Wabash flow? Name three branches of the Wabash 
flowing from Illinois? Name three principal branches 
of the Mississippi flowing from Illinois. Name the 
chief branches of the Illinois. In what state does Fox 
River rise? Rock River? Name its chief branches. 
In what directions do the rivers of Illinois flow? 

What cities on Lake Michigan? What cities on Ver- 
million River? What city at the mouth of the Ohio? 
What other cities on the Mississippi? What city oppo- 
site St. Louis? What cities east and southest of St. 
Louis? What city just above the. mouth of the 
Missouri? What cities on or near the Sangamon? 
What city west of Springfield? What city south? 
What cities on or near the Illinois? On the Fox? What 
city on the Kankakee? On the Des Plaines? What 
city northwest of Peoria? On Rock River? What city 
on the Pecatonica? What city of Iowa opposite Rock 
Island? What city in the nortl^western corner of the 



226 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

state? On what river? What city of Iowa opposite the 
northern boundary? 

Name all bodies of water forming boundaries. Where 
is the state widest? Where narrowest? How does the 
width of the northern part compare with that of the 
southern part? About how much of the eastern 
boundary is a straight line? 

Beginning at the northwest corner of the state, take 
steamboat, pass down the Mississippi river and name 
towns (cities) upon each bank of the river. What 
rivers enter the Mississippi from Illinois? Large one 
from Missouri? In what counties are their mouths? 
Go down the Illinois and name cities upon either bank. 
In what counties are the state normal schools? What 
are the oldest towns? How many and what capitals 
has the state had? 

Search Questions. — i. What artificial harbor in 
the state? Breakwater? (Describe a breakwater.) 
2. Where is the highest point of land? 3. How much 
above the level of the sea? 4. What and where is the 
Grand Prairie? 5. At what place in the Illinois river is 
the limit of navigation? 6. Where do the dams aid in 
the navigation of this river? (Explain how dams are 
made and how useful.) 7. What is the Kaskaskia some- 
times called? 8. What is the greatest known depth of 
Lake Michigan? 9. The surface of this lake is how 
much above the sea level? 10. Is Lake Peoria a real 
lake? What is it? 11. From which direction do the 
prevailing winds of winter blow? Of summer? Which 
bring the most rain? 12. What is an alluvial de- 
posit? Where found? A diluvial deposit? Where 
found? 13. Where is the soil tiventy-five feet in 



Outline of Study for lutcrmediatc Division. 227 

depth? Where and what is the American Bottom? 
14. Where is the pecan found? Describe and list the 
different kinds of nuts. Make h'sts of the different trees 
found in this state. 15. How many counties front upon 
the Mississippi? How many upon the Ohio? What 
counties border upon Lake Michigan? 16. What is 
the coal area of Illinois? 17. Is the coal bituminous or 
anthracite? (See dictionary.) 18. Where does lead 
abound? Give plain talks about mining, smelting and 
the uses of lead. Tell of the shot tower and how shot 
is made. 19. Where are the salt springs of the state? 
Describe the process of making salt. 20. Where are 
there mineral springs of much medicinal value? 21. 
Where do we secure the white fish and the trout? The 
buffalo and the catfish? The bass? the perch? 22. 
What are the leading crops of Illinois? Make list of 
same. One fourth of the entire area of Illinois was 
planted in corn in i8y8. 23. Where was the first rail- 
road of Illinois? Tell about the rails. There are now 
over 9,000 miles of railroad in operation in the state. 
24. What school officer of the state? Of the county? 
Officers of the township? Of the districts? Give term 
of office for each officer. 25. How many teachers in 
the state? 26. How many state senators? Who is 
yours? 27. How many representatives in the legisla- 
ture? Is there one or more from your county? Who 
are they? 28. How often does the legislature meet? 
Where? 29. Who are the United States Senators from 
Illinois? How chosen? 30. How many Congressmen 
has Illinois? How many electoral votes? 31. Name 
the state officers and offices. 32. What courts have 
we? II. Where is the State Reform School for Boys? 



228 How to Grade and TcacJi a Country School. 

Explain what is meant by this. 34. Where is the 
Institution for the Feeble Minded? Explain its pur- 
pose. 35. How many and where are the state hospitals 
for the insane? 36. Where is the Soldiers' Orphans' 
Home? Note its benefits. The Eye and Ear Infirm- 
ary? The Asylum for the Blind and the Deaf and 
Dumb? 

If you were deaf and dumb where might you be sent, 
and how? If a thief or a murderer? If simple? If 
blind? If crazy? 37. From what is the word Illinois 
derived? What race probably lived here before the 
Indian? 38. To what family of Indians did the tribes 
of Illinois Indians belong? Explain the use of tribe 
Rnd family. 39. Who were the first explorers of Illi- 
nois? 40. Where and when was the first settlement 
made? Where is Starved Rock? Why so called? 41. 
Were there ever any slaves in Illinois? 42. Give the 
history of the Ft. Dearborn massacre. 43. Who was 
the first Governor? Who is now Governor? 44. What 
railroad now almost pays the current expenses of the 
state government? 45. How many counties in the 
state? Which one is the largest? The smallest? 46. 
Where is Lincoln buried? Describe the monument. 
47. How is Chicago supplied with water? Make draw- 
ings to illustrate this. 47. Chicago is the greatest 

market in the world. 48. How many acres do the 
Union Stock Yards cover? Describe them and tell 
their use. 49. Tell about the great fire of 187 1 at 
Chicago. 50. Where is the Illinois Industrial Univer- 
sity? 51. How is the grain lifted from the cars to the 
lake steamers? Explain fully. 52. What is a tile, and 
of what use is it? How made? 53. Where does coal 



Outline of Study for Interuiediate Division. 229 

"crop out?" 54. Give different depths of known 
mines. 55. What is the nickname for Illinois? 56. 
Where is Lover's Leap? 57. Illinois is supposed to 

have been the bed of an immense ? 58. What 

county offices? Township? 59. What is the county 
legislature? 60. What township officer performs the 
marriage ceremony? 

Such a topic list as this is excellent for the study of 
a state: 

STUDY OF ILLINOIS. 

1. Position — Latitude, longitude, outline, ^regular or 
irregular,) extent, (east and west) in miles, area (com- 
pare in size with surrounding states,) coast waters 
bordering it. 

2. Surface — Level, undulating, hilly, 

3. Boundaries (exact constitutional.) 

4. Rivers — Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash, Rock, Illinois, 
Kaskaskia, Sangamon. 

5. Lakes — Michigan, Peoria. 

6. Climate — Modified, how? 

7. Natural Advantages — On the surface, in the earth, 
on the water. 

8. Occupations — Agricultural, mining, manufacture, 
transportation. 

9. Internal Improvements — Railroads (5), canals, 
State house, penitentiaries, colleges, asylums, etc. 

10. Name and locate ten prominent cities. 

11. Education — State superintendent, county super- 
intendent, school trustees, school directors, teachers. 

12. History of the capital, with dates of removal. 

13. Number of counties, boundaries of this. 



230 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

For a blackboard form, the following is brief, and 
also convenient for reviews:- 



Blackboard Form. 

Boundary. 
Area, (56,650.) 
Population, (3,077,871.) 

f Rock. 

T./r. . • . Illinois — Sang^amon. 
Mississippi. < T^ 1 , . ^ 
'■^ ^ Kaskaskia. 

Ohio — Wabash. 



Lakes. 



Illinois. 
"Sucker State"<; 
1818. 



Cities. 



Michigan. 
Peoria. 

' Chicago. 
Peoria. 
Bloomington. 
Quincy. 
<J Alton. 
Joliet. 

Springfield. 
Centralia. 
Etc. , etc. 



Vegetable productions. 
Mineral productions. 
Objects of interest. 
Draw map. 



JANUARY — NATURAL DIVISIONS OF LAND AND WATER. 

Select a well-known hill in the neighborhood; point 
out base or foot, sides, top or summit, slope, etc., find a 
picture of a mountain, and have same points selected by 
the pupils. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 23 1 

Draw profile of a mountain upon the board; talk of its 
height, may be covered with snow in midsummer, even 
all the year; why? No trees upon the top; lower down 
small shrubs; lower still, trees and forests; farms from 
the base a part of the way up the sides; the view from 
the summit; clouds below it, rain falling in the valley, 
sun-light at the top, etc. Hills found in ridges; moun- 
tains follow the same order; a ridge of mountains called a 
range or chain; find such upon the maps, and agree upon 
a symbol for a single mountain, for a range: — A journey 
across the mountains; a pass or gap; a tunnel; rivers rise 
in mountains; the winds carry the clouds against them 
and the rains fall; why? Define mountain, pass, summit, 
base; a table land described. 

Show picture of an active volcano; contents; the 
crater; an eruption and its consequences; an extinct vol- 
cano; find the two different kinds upon the maps. De- 
fine volcano, lava, crater. 

Point out a dale or little plain and develop the idea of 
a large plain or valley; some plains not level; a rolling 
country a plain; prairies; valleys, etc. Define plain, 
prairie, desert, valley, vale, dale. 

For peninsula, cape, bay, island, isthmus, strait, 
delta, river, pond, lake, the shore, channel, sound, gulf, 
sea, coast, archipelagoes, take a bucket of water (if a 
stream is not ai hand) and throzv it upon the floor; by 
one or two trials these objects will be found, formed 
from the water and dry floor; have pupils to find them, 
point to them and tell zvhat tJiey sec, then secure the 
definition while the pnpil looks at object. 

There is usually a stream at or near the school house; 
use this to make pupils familiar with a river, rivulet or 



232 How to Grade and Teach a Country School 



rill, brook, course of river, source of river, bank of river, 
bed of river, mouth of river, head of river, channel of 
river, basin or valley of river, rapids, cascade, cataract, 
spring. Speak of freshets and inundations; of steam- 
boats and commerce. 

Treat the term lake in a similar manner, by starting 
with a well-known pond in the vicinity; a very small 
pond is usually a puddle. 



TERMS FOR DEFINITION. 



What is a 
Hill? 

Mountain? 
Mountain range? 
Mountain gap? 
Table land? 
Volcano? 
Dale? 

Vale or valley? 
Plain? 
Prairie? 
Desert? 
Oasis? 
Forest? 
Wood? 
Swamp? 
Everglade? 
Spring? 
Rivulet or rill? 
Brook? 
River? 
River head? 



Bed of a river? 

Channel of a river? 

Basin of a river? 

Rapids? 

Ripple? 

Cataract? 

Cascade? 

Delta? 

Pond? 

Lake? 

Shore of lake? 

Harbor? 

Strait? 

Breakwater? 

Channel? 

Sound? 

Gulf or bay? 

Sea? 

Sea coast? 

Ocean? 

Archipelago? 

Island? 



Outline of Study for lutcruicdiatc Division. 233 



Course of river? 
Source of river? 
Mouth of river? 
Bank of river? 
Left bank of river? 
Village or city? 
Railroad? 
Town? 
Township? 
Capital? 
Capitol? 
Metropolis? 
Seaport? 
Notes and Methods. 



Peninsula? 

Isthmus? 

Cape? 

Promontory? 

Turnpike? 

Canal? 

f White 
I Black 

Races of men?<J Red 

I Yellow 
1^ Brown 

Earth? 

Continent? 

— I. Be sure that the pupil 



has the true idea of the thing represented by the term 
before permitting him to attempt the definition of it; a 
correct idea of a cape or an island should precede the 
definition. 

2. Mathematical definitions should not be permitted, 
but the names of the lines and the circles upon maps 
should be early learned. 

3. A good set of outline maps are almost indispen- 
sable to the successful teaching of local geography. 
When in use for a time the maps should be spread upon 
the floor where the pupil may have a "bird's-eye view" 
of the country considered; it should be spread upon 
sheets of newspaper to avoid soiling it, and to corres- 
pond with the points of the compass; when their use is 
'understood they should be slowly raised to the wall 
during a talk in effect that the wall is but the floor 
standing on edge; that the map can stand upon its 
edge without changing the slant of the land or without 
spilling the water from the ocean or some river with 
which the pupils are acquainted. 



234 Hoiv to Grade and Teach, a Country School. 

4. When placed upon the wall the maps should be 
easily seen from any point in the room, and have the 
right hand side toward the east. 

5. A pencil eraser placed upon the end of the pointer 
will protect the maps used. While the pointer is being 
used some brief and lively description should be given 
of the place or country under consideration. 

LOCAL GEOGRAPHY. 

Preparation. — The teacher should pronounce the 
names of places and point to their location while the 
pupils pronounce the same in concert; a pupil should 
then step to the map with pointer in hand and pro- 
nounce same as he points out the places; he should 
then point* to same places while the class pronounce 
them; then the several individuals should in turn pro- 
nounce same list and point them out. Have the pupil 
to name and locate (with pointer) the objects in exact 
order with as little assistance as possible. The words 
"wrong" or "omitted" should call a halt at every mis- 
take. 

The Lesson. — Have pupils give location in words 
while pointing. See models for location. Adopt some 
brief model as it will save time. 

Divide the class into two divisions and have a pupil 
of one division to name a place and teacher designate 
a pupil from the other division to point out and answer 
the question. Some note of the failures should be 
made, as this encourages good attention. 

Attention is secured by the lively and thoughtful 
methods of the teacher, not by the asking for it. 

The Test. — The true test of scholarship is by 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. :535 

writing; the student thus has time to consider his 
answers and will put them into his best form. 

Once a week, at least, the teacher should prepare 
about five questions upon the work, remove the maps, 
and require pupils to write upon them as in a regular 
examination; this writing may be upon slates, or upon 
paper; the latter is the better way since the paper may 
be filed for reference; this work should be carefully 
graded as suggested under the head of "Uniform Mark- 
ings" in this book. The mistakes of each pupil should 
be carefully pointed c ut until he understands what is 
wanted. 

MODELS FOR THE RECITATION. 

Political Divisions. — The United States is bounded 
on the north by British America, on the east by the 
Atlantic ocean, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and 
Mexico, and on the west by the Pacific ocean. The 
capital is Washington. 

Peninsulas. — Florida is the southeastern part of the 
United States. It extends between the Gulf of Mexico 
and the Atlantic ocean. 

Capes. — Cape Farewell is the southern point of Green- 
land, and extends into the Atlantic ocean. 

Mountains. — The Alleghany mountains, are in the 
eastern part of the United States. They extend from 
northeast to southwest, parallel with the Atlantic coast. 

Mount Blanc is the highest peak of the Alps, and is 
situated in the northwestern part of Sardinia. 

Island. — Sicily is in the Mediterranean sea, south of 
Italy, 

Seas, Gulfs, Bays, Sounds, and Inlets. — The White 



236 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Coimtry School. 

sea is a portion of the Arctic ocean, and extends into 
the northern part of Russia 

Straits and Channels. — The Straits of Bellisle separ- 
ate Labrador and Newfoundland, and connect the Gulf 
of St. Lawrence with the Atlantic ocean. 

Lakes. — Lake Champlain is between the northern 
part of New York and Vermont. Its outlet is the Sorel 
river, which flows into the River St. Lawrence. 

Rivers — The Potomac river rises in the northern part 
of Virginia, and flows southeast, between Maryland and 
Virginia, into the Chesapeake Bay. 

Cities. — Cincinnati is situated in the southwestern 
part of Ohio, on the right bank of the Ohio river. 

E. E. White, 

THE UNITED STATES. 

C Mississippi Valley 
r THREE GREAT SECTIONS < Atlantic Slope 
Divisions^ ( Pacific Slope 

(two SMALL SECTIONS C Lake Basin 

( Texas Slope 

Make journeys through each in difl"erent directions 
noting features outlined under the head of "Home 
Geography. " 

Mississippi Valley. — Northern part a vast plain; prai- 
ries; western settlements; Indians; great sterile plateau 
near the Rocky mountains; animals; rivers rise in the 
Rocky and Alleghany mountains. 

Central part narrow and more broken; banks of riv- 
ers usually low, and cities built upon the bluff's; why? 
climate; productions. 

Southern part low and marshy; fertile valleys; pro- 
ductions; fruits; climate hot — yellow fever; animals. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 237 



Atlantic Slope. — Northern section hilly; rivers and 
lakes clear \ why? soil not so fertile as that of the Mis- 
sissippi Valley; less wheat and corn; winters; pine for- 
ests; animals. 

Central portion narrow; low and sandy; produc- 
tions; animals. 

Southern portion swampy — animals; productions. 

Pacific Slope. — Wide belt of mountains separate it 
from the Mississippi Valley; little rain; Indians; fertile 
near Pacific but sterile near the mountains; gold mines; 
Chinese; grizzly bears; other anrmals; quicksilver and 
silver. 

Lake Basin. — Mormons; wooded; plain partly fertile, 
and partly sterile; animals. 

Texas Slope. — Same as southern Mississippi Valley. 

Take numerous imaginary journeys, tracing course 
upon the map and locating every place mentioned. 

STATES AND CAPITALS LEARNED. 

Have pupils arrange the states and capitals into two 
columns as leaiTied; use the outline maps freely; have 
every thing pointed out by the pupils themselves. 

Maine. 

New Hampshire. 

Vermont. 

Massachusetts. 

Rhode Island. 

Connecticut. 



Atlantic. 



North, i 



Middle. 



New York. 
New Jersey. 
Pennsylvania. 
Delaware. 
^ Maryland, 



238 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country SeJiooL 



UNITED 
STATES 



Central. 



South \ 
North ^ 

(West.) \ 



States of the 

Plains. 



f Virginia. 
I North Carolina. 
South. <j South Carolina. 
I Georgia. 
1^ Florida. 

West Virginia. 
Kentucky. 
South <{ Tennessee. 
(East.) Alabama. 
Mississippi. 

f Wisconsin. 
I Michigan. 
North ^ Ohio. 

(East.) j Jndj. 

[ Illin< 



iiana. 
inois. 



Arkansas. 
Louisiana. 

Minnesota. 

Iowa. 

Missouri. 

Nebraska. 

Kansas. 

Texas. 



The Highland. — Colorado. 
The Lake Basin. — Nevada. 



Pacific States. 



The Territories 



1 



Oregon. 
California. 

Washington. 

Idaho. 

Montana. 

Dakota. 

Wyoming 

Utah. 

New Mexico. 



Outline of Study for Intcinnedlatc Division. 239 



Arizona. 
Indian. 

Alaska. 



Special Territories 



\i 



National Park 
ist. of Columbia 



Nicknames. — It is well to learn the most prominent 
nicknames of the States; after several have been 
learned, ask such questions as "Who are Suckers?" 
Pupils raise hands. "Who are Hoosiers?" "Who are 
Buckeyes?" "Who are Corncrackers?" "How many 
Pukes?" 

Peninsulas. — Florida and Michigan. Define peninsula. 

Oceans, Gulfs, Bays. — Atlantic, Pacific, Mexico, 
Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Massachusetts, Narragan- 
sett, Delaware, Chesapeake, Mobile, Galveston, San 
Francisco. 

Locate each in turn as in model. Define ocean, gulf, 
bay. 

Lakes. — Moosehead, Champlain, Ontario, Erie, St. 
Clair, Huron, Michigan, Superior, Lake of the Woods. 
Itasca, Great Salt Lake, Lake Okeechobee, Ponchar- 
train. 

Insert any items of information of an interesting 
character in connection with the study of each lake. 
Define lake. 

Sounds and Straits. — Florida, Pamlico, Albemarle, 
Long Island, Golden Gate. 

Define sound, strait, channel. 

Mountains. — White, Mt. Washington, Green, Cat- 
skill, Blue Ridge, Allegheny, Cumberland, Rocky, 
Sierra Nevada, Coast Range, Cascade Range. 

Define mountain, volcano, mountain range. 



240 How to Grade and leach a Country ScJiooL 

FEBRUARY — CITIES, LAKES, ETC. — UNITED STATES. 

In the study of the home state it is well to select 
some important thing connected with each city, thus: 
When writing the list the pupil might append peniten- 
tiary to , capital to , whiskey to , 

asylums to , bridge to , lake to , 

waterworks to , &c. 

Each individual state should be outlined as in the 
brace form given for Illinois; this should be done by 
the pupils as they pursue the study of the state, and 
should contain the same names found in these pages 
with such additions as the teacher may make. 

When these outlines are built up in this shape they 
are in excellent form for written reviews and should be 
so used at every recitation. This may be nicely done 
by sending class to the board with the direction that 
"Mary may write form for Maine, Lucy for New York, 
John for Deleware, Sarah for Massachusetts," &c. 
These forms should be written in about one minute; 
they should be inspected and all errors corrected, 

St. John's. 

St. Croix. 

Penobscot. 

Kennebec. 

Androscoggin. 

Merrimac. 

Connecticut. 

Thames. 

Honsatojiic. 

Hudson. 

MoJiawk. 

Delaware. * 

Lehigh, 



Outline of Study for hitermediate Division. 241 



RIVER 
SYSTEM. ^ 



Atlantic System. <J Schuylkill. 

Susquehanna. 

West Branch. 

Juniata. 

Potomac. 

James. 

Roanoake. 

Nejise. 

Cape Fear. 

Great Pedee. 

Santee. 

Savannah. 

Altamaha. 
I^St. John. 
^ Appalachicola. 

Flint. 

Chattahooche. 

Mobile. 

Alabama. 

Tombigbee. 
Gulf System. { Pearl. 

Mississippi. 

Sabine. 

Trinity. 

Brazos. 

Colorado. 
^ Rio Grande, 
r Mississippi. 

Yazoo. 

Ohio. 

Tennessee. 

Cumberland. 

Green. 

Licking. 

Big Sandy. 

Monongahela. 

Allegheny. 

Muskingurn., 



242 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



Scioto. 
Mississippi System^ Wabash. 

Illinois. 

Rock. 

Wisconsin. 

Minnesota. 

Iowa. 

Des Moines. 

Missouri. 

Yellowstone. 

Big Horn, 

Platte. 

Kansas. 

Arkansas. 

Red. 
f Colorado. 

Gila. 

Sacramento. 
<J Columbia. 

Lewis. 

Clarke's. 
\ Niagara. 
I St. Lawrence. 
■{ Genessee. 

St. Clair. 

Detroit. 

St. Mary, 

Ann. 
Cod. 
May. 

Henlopen, 
Charles. 
Capes. ■{ Henry, 



Pacific System. 



Lake System. 



Grand Menan. 
Mt. Desert. 
Nantucket. 
ISLANDS.<! Martha's Vineyard 
Long Island. 
Key West. 
Isle Royal. 
fMoosehead. 
Wijt n ipiseogee . 
Memp h reniagog. 



Hatteras. 
Lookout, 
Fear. 
Sable. 



O lit line of Study for Intermediate Diz 



vision. 



243 



Connecticut. I Mendocino. 

Champlain. (^Flattery. 

Oneida. 
Ontario, 
Erie. 
St, Clair. 
Lakes. { Huron. 

Michigan. 

Superior. 

Lake of the Woods. 

Pepin. 

Itasca. 

Great Salt Lake, 

Po7ic her train. 

Borgne. 

Okeechobee. 

For oral class, select capital and one or two impor- 

portant cities; for text-book class, select more than are 

here given if thought best. 

Augusta. 

Portland. 

Eastport. 

Bangor. 

Lewiston. 

Biddeford. 

Concord. 
Manchester. 
N. H. \ Po?-tsinouth. 
Dover. 
Nashua. 



NoRiH Atlantic. < 



Me. i 



Vt. 



Montpelier. 
Burlington. 
Rutland. 
Be?ini?igto?i, 

Boston. 
Lowell. 
Salem. 
Lynn. 



244 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



Mass. I 



R. I 



■I 



Ct. { 



N. Y. { 



N.J. 



Cambridge. 
Plymouth. 
New Bedford. 
Worcester. 
Springfield. 

Providence. 
Newport. 

Hartford. 
New Haven. 
Bridgeport. 
Stonington. 
Norwich. 

Albany. 

New York. 

Brooklyn. 

Sing Sing. 

West Point. 

Poughkeepsie. 

Hudso7i. 

Troy. 

Cohoes. 

Schenectady. 

Saratoga. 

Tico?ideroga. 

Plattsburg. 

Ogde7isbnrg. 

Oswego. 

Utica. 

Rome. 

Syracuse. 

Ithaca. 

Elmira. 

Rochester. 

Lockport. 

Buffalo. 

Chautauqua. 

Trenton. 
Newark. 
Jersey City. 
Paterson. 
Long Branch. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division, 245 



Middle Atlantic. \ 



Morristown. 

Camden. 

Princeton. 

Harrisburg. 
Philadelphia. 
Reading. 
U'ilkesbarre. 
Scranton. 
Pa. { Lmicaster. 
York, 

Gettysburg. 
Willianisport. 
Pittsburg. 
Erie, 



Del 



Md. 



•I 



Dover. 
Wilmington. 



Annapolis. 

Baltimore. 
\ Havre de Grace. 
I Frederick. 
\ Cimiberla7id. 



Va. \ 



Richmond. 
Norfolk. 

Yorktown. 

Alexandria. 

Petersburg. 

Lynchburg. 

r Raleigh. 
^ ^ J Wilmington. 
^' ^' I New Berfie. 

y Fayettesville. 



South Atlantic. < 



S. C 



■1 



Ga. { 



Columbia. 
Charleston. 

Atlanta. 

Savannah. 

Augusta. 

Macon. 

JDalton, 



246 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 









Talahassee. 






Fla. ' 


Jacksonville. 
Key West. 
Pensacola. 




I 


St. Augusti?ie. 


CITIES 

OF THE 




' Montgomery. 
. J Mobile. 
^^^' 1 mmtsville. 


UNITED ^ 




^ Selma. 


STATES. 




Miss. < 


' Jackson. 

Vicksburg. 

Natchez. 
^ Columbus. 




S. E. Central. 


Nashville. 
„ J Memphis. 
^^^"^^ ^ Chattanooga. 
\^ Knoxville. 

( Frankfort. 

Louisville. 
Ky. ■{ Newport. 

Covington. 
1^ Lexington. 










{ Charleston. 






W Va \ Wheeling, 
l^ W. va. <j Parkersburg 

(^ Harper's Ferry. 






' Columbus. 






Cincinnati. 






Portsmouth. 






Marietta. 






0. < 


Zanesville. 

Cleveland. 

Sandusky. 

Toledo. 

Dayton. 






[ Indianapolis. 






1 Evansville. 






Ind. 


i New Albatiy. 
\ Terr e Haute. 



Outlhie of Study for Intermediate Division. 247 



N. E. Central. 



111. 



Mich. 



N. W. Central. 



Wis. I 



Min. 



Iowa. < 



Mo. 



Fort Wayne. 
La Fayette. 

Springfield. 

Chicago. 

Cairo. 

Alt07l. 

Jackso7iville. 
Qui?icy. 
Peoria. 
Bloof?ii?igto?i. 
Galesburg. 
Joliet. 
Rockford. 

( Lansing. 
I Detroit. 
[ Ann Arbor. 
I Jacks 071. 
\^ Kalaniazoo. 

Madison. 
Milwaukee. 
Ja7iesville. 
Raci7ie. 
Fo7id du Lac. 
La Crosse. 

St. Paul. 

Minneapolis. 

Wino7ia. 

Des Moines. 

Dubuque. 

Davenport. 

Muscati7ie. 

Burli7igton. 

Keokuk. 

Coimcil Bluffs. 

Jefferson. 
St. Louis. 
Ha7i7iibal. 
St. Joseph. 
Kansas City. 



248 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



States of the 
Plains. 



Neb. 



Kan. 



S. W. Central. 



Rocky Mount'n State, 



Texas. I 



Ark. 



Lincoln. 
Omaha. 

Topeka 
Leavenworth. 
Atchiso7i. 
Lawrence. 
Fort Scott. 

Austin. 

Galveston. 

Corpus Christi. 

Indiajiola. 

Dallas. 

Houston. 

Little Rock. 
Fort S?nith. 
Hot Springs. 
Texarkana. 



Basin State 



. I Nev. I 



Pacific States, -j 



( Baton Rouge. 
La. -j New Orleans. 
( Shreveport. 

Col. — Denver. 

Carson. 
Virginia. 

Sacramento. 
San Francisco. 
Stockton. 
Los Angelos. 

Salem. 
Portland. 



Cal. 



Ore 



■1 



Territories. 



N. M. — Santa Fe. 
A. T. — Prescott. 
U. T. — Salt Lake. 
Wy. T. — Cheyenne. 
W. T. — Olympia. 

L T. — Boise City. 
M. T. — Helena. 



D. T 



I 



Yankton. 
Pembina. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 249 

Ind. T. — Tallequah. 
Alaska. — Sitka. 

D. C. — Georgetown. 

National Park. — 
The geography here outlined may be left at the dis- 
cretion of the teacher as to limits. Many teachers will 
be able to accomplish all of the work here outlined ere 
time fixed in the outline expires; to such we would say, 
do not let the interest of the class diminish by going 
over work that has been well done, but pass to other 
new work while keeping up the reviews. 

NORTH AMERICA. 

i Atlantic Slope. 
Oral Description. < Central Plain. 
( Pacific Slope. 

Make this description as lively and as interesting as 
possible. Talk of the general direction of the rivers of 
each slope; of the tides at different points of the coast 
line; of the polar bear; of the Esquimau; of the seal; 
the walrus; the elk; the deer and antelope; of southern 
and northern birds; of wooded parts; of prairie; of 
swamps; of severe snows; of tornadoes; of fur traders; 
of the appearance of the oceans; of Kane's Arctic ex- 
plorations; of cotton, sugar, tropical fruits, spices, ma- 
hogany, logwood, gold, silver, quick-silver; of a bird's- 
eye view of the great lakes, etc. 

All the items needed, may be gleaned from geogra- 
phies, found within the school-house. By reaching all 
the authors at hand the teacher will find plenty of 
material to illustrate all the points embraced in the 
above. 



2 50 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



Divisions. 

AND 

Cities of 
British America. 

(Ottawa — Capital.) <( 

{^Canada embraces all 
of British America ex- 
cept apart of Labrador.) 



Rivers. 



Straits. 



Quebec. 



Ontario. 



Quebec. 
Montreal. 



iS 



Toronto, 
amilton. 



Manitoba — Winnipeg. 
Assiniboin — Regina. 
British Columbia — Victoria. 
Saskatchewan — Battleford. 

Alberta 

Athabasca 

Keezvatin 

Labrador. 

North- East Territory 



Baffin Land 

North- West Territory. 
New Brunswick — Fredericton. 
NewFoundland — St. John. 
Nova Scotia — Halifax. 
Prince Edward Island — Char- 
lottetown. 



f Yukon. 
I Mackenzie. 
j Great Fish. 
j Nelson. 
I Ottawa, 
1^ Frazer. 

^ Davis. 

Hudson. 
\ Behring. 
Belle Isle. 
Florida. 

'"Hudson. 
Baffin. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 251 



North America 
(continued.) 



T^ J St. Lawrence. 

B^y^- ^Mexico. 

I James. 

{ California. 

^Winnipeg. 
Great Slave. 
Lakes. <( Great Bear. 

Georgian Bay. 
Nicaragua. 



Islands. < 



(^ 



Cities, 



Iceland. 
Greenland. 
Newfoundland. 
Prince Edward. 
Bahamas. 
West Indies. 
Queen Charlotte. 

Vera Cruz. 

Tampico. 

Matamoras. 

Monteray. 

Mexico. 

Acapulco. 

Gautemala. 

Havana. 



The teacher should add to the preceeding list such 
places as he deems important. Only those of particular 
commercial or historical importance should be selected. 
As many of the preceding as are to be studied, should 
be placed upon the board for topical study and recita- 
tion. Two or three good questions should be placed 
upon the board, and the pupils required to write out the 
complete answers. 



2 52 How to Grade and TeacJi a Country School. 

SOUTH AMERICA. 

Give simply a good general view of South America. 
Give good oral view of the Andes and the valleys lying 
between the parallel ranges; the chain from 30 to 400 
miles in width; volcanoes numerous; earthquakes fre- 
quent; cities sometimes destroyed. 

Pacific Slope. — Narrow; small amount of rain. 

Atlantic Slope. — Wide fertile plain; rivers spread out 
into immense inland seas; the Llanos; (wet and dry 
season,) the Silvas; Pampas; the Amazon and its won- 
derful valley; Brazilian forests; the climate; the pro- 
ductions; herds of cattle and horses; the jaguar; the 
llama; vampire bat; Surinam toad; hides and horns; 
climbing vines; condor; huge alligators and immense 
water snakes; the boa constrictor; monkeys; beautiful 
birds, gold, silver; landing of Columbus in 1498; con- 
conquest of Peru; Panos Indian and his wife; moun- 
tain travel; guano; the native blow-gun; the lake 
dwellers on the Orinoco; primitive bridges over 
streams in the Andes; cocoa; Indian rubber; cinchona 
bark; (here tell the story of the discovery of its quali- 
ties;) American ostrich; the Indian and his lasso, etc. 

Arrange the countries and capitals of South America 
into two corresponding columns and while doing so 
proceed slowly, giving lively descriptions of the 
countries and capitals; thus, tell them of Equador 
and its perpetual spring; why? Situated two miles 
above the sea level; eleven snow capped mountains in 
view; on the east side of the volcano of Pichinea; only 
city under the equator, etc. 

Note some of the large rivers only; tell of the 
Amazon and the width of the mouth; it is called the 



Outline of Study for hiterniediatc Division. 253 



"boat destroyer," why? Has the widest mouth of any- 
thing in the world — 180 miles in width — could swallow 
Indiana! Its waters do not commingle with those of 
the ocean for 250 miles. 

Make special preparation upon each topic by reading 
all that can be secured from the geographies, using the 
gazetteer and the encyclopedia freely, if at hand. Every 
teacher should own several good geographies and try in 
some manner to have access to the gazetteer and the en- 
cyclopedia. Where the latter cannot be found in the 
district he may make a note, of places that he desires to 
investigate, read a couple of hours when he goes to the 
village or city and has access to the library. By a little 
effort he may soon become familiar with facts and curi- 
osities of a place or a country. 

THE WORLD. 
At this point the teacher should explain the names 
and the uses of circles placed upon the maps, the names 
of seasons, of the zones, of the climate, etc. 




M.ERCATORS MAP 



2 54 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Begin with the season at home and present a vivid 
picture of an Arctic or an Antarctic climate, with its long 
day or its long night; when the long day is at one pole 
the long night is at the other; exhibit a good picture 
of the Arctic winter and talk of the Esquimaux, the 



'-^t Tj 



fc'A 



-1^^ 




fr^~ 






-^^ 



se^^ 



'^^i)s4m 




ZONES OF ANIMAL LIFE. 



polar bear, etc; of the stunted vegetation, and of the 
animals as compared with ours. Talk of the rains of 
the torrid zone, its luxuriant vegetation, the dry season 
and the scorched plains. Speak of the ferocious 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 



255 
See 



animals, the large plants and the lazy inhabitants 
picture of plant and animal zones. 

Have pupils tell in which zone each of the countries 
of North and South America are found (see map); 
illustrate how the sun's heat diminishes as we pass from 




ZONES OF PLANT LIFE. 

the equator toward the poles; how vegetation depends 
upon warmth for its vigor and its development; give 
careful explanations of latitude and longitude, and have 
pupils understand how to find the latitude and the lon- 
gitude of a place. 



256 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



CONTINENTS. \ 



The eastern hemisphere contains the eastern conti- 
nent; the western hemisphere contains the western 
continent. 

r Western. ^ North America. 
' ( South America. 

( Europe. 

1 EASTERN. hr- 
^ I Africa. 

1^ Oceanica. 

One ocean; divided into five parts; why? 

^Atlantic. 
Pacific. 
Oceans. 



(Define.) 



<J Indian. 
Arctic. 
Antarctic. 



Great and Small 
Circles. 



( r-- \ ^ Arctic, 

Circles. < A 4- 
I (Define.) ( Antarctic. 

.p . ( Cancer. 
IZYu^!' X CAPRICORN, 
j Gt. Circle— EQUATOR. 



I (Define.) 

\ (Define.) 

(Define.) 



Draw figure representing the above circles and point 
out the zones; have pupils make same figure and write 
the names of the zones within the spaces. 



The five zones. 

(Bound each.) 



orth. > T- • -J 
outh. \ F"g'^- 

Temperate. 



North 

S 

North. 

South. 

North. ) T. . , 
e ^, > lorrid. 
South. > 



Have pupils draw diagram of zones and write the 
names of animals found, within each; at other times 
write names of fruits found, within them; at another, 



State of Society. <j 



Outline of Study for lutermediate Division. 257 

the names of trees and plants; zones and widths in 
degrees (width of degree.) 

Explain the different states of society and write the 
terms used as you progress; thus: 

("Savage. 
] Barbarous. 

Semi-civilized. 
1^ Civilized. 

Have pupils know where these societies maybe found. 
Review all the drawings that have been considered 
up to this point. 

THE OLD WORLD. 

Apply the plan of study to each of the grand divis- 
ions in order as suggested in the study of South 
America. 

Make numerous imaginary voyages to different 
foreign parts and have pupils to lade the vessels. 
(In imagination.) 

This may be done by fixing the relative position of 
the ports upon the board, and by having pupils write 
names of exports near the port under question. By a 
little careful attention the teacher may direct the pupil 
so that he will soon have a fair knowledge of the 
climate of a country by its exports alone. 

A very effective manner of doing this, is about a^ 
follows: 

Fix ports in their relative position upon the floor, 
(use chalk,) cut blocks of paper and distribute to pupils; 
have them lade the vessel by writing such articles of ex- 
port as they may find shipped, upon the paper, and 
depositing it upon the name of the city considered; it 



258 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

will add to the interest to take a small box or dish to 
represent the vessel, and when loaded have a boy ha2il 
it across the ocean to a destined port; during this opera- 
tion have pupils follow and point out islands, capes, etc. 
Develop interesting information at every step. 

Be filled ivith interesting facts yourself, and you will 
fill your classes with enthusiasm at the first lesson. 

It will be a beneficial exercise to give this to your 
Advanced Division. Try taking the class into the yard 
and have them consider the lot as a map upon Merca- 
tor's Projection (see map); have pupils take sharpened 
sticks, and fix them at the angles of the continents, then 
pass a long piece of twine around each, making a com- 
plete outline of the world upon this plan; sharpen sticks, 
split them at the top, insert white paper in the openings, 
labeled as a certain cape, city, river, etc. From these 
data, take voyages from one country to another; from 
city to city, traveling by means of rail, or by the steamer; 
from island to island; always talking, of commerce, and 
curiosities in animal or plant life. Finally, show them a 
map containing location of minerals; have the names of 
minerals fixed in same manner. Try it ! 

The selection of places to be located in the world is 
left to the good judgment of the teacher. 

When the above exercise is once understood, transfer 
the lesson to the real map. 

TEXT-BOOK GEOGRAPHY — B. CLASS. 

Book — In hands of pupil. 

Object — Definite work in the geography of the United 
States. A short study in the geography of North 
America. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 259 

Time — About two years. 
Grade — Fourth Reader. 

OCTOBER. 

See "Oral Geography," outline for Illinois for sugges- 
tions, not given here. The model given for Illinois is 
applicable to any state; see outline for next month. 

Illinois — Boundary, Area (56,650). Mississippi River 
(Define River), Rock, Illinois, (Sangamon), Kaskaskia, 
Ohio (Wabash). Lake Michigan (Define Lake), Peoria. 
Chicago (Define City), Springfield, Peoria, Blooming- 
ton, Quincy, Alton, Joliet, Centralia, Cairo, Galena. 
Vegetable Productions — Animal Productions — Mineral 
Productions — (Define Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral). 

Notes. — Arrange the above list of topics in the Brace 
Form, now so familiar. Use this book in the study of 
each State and follow the topic lists in the recitation. 
Pupils should build up the Brace Form on their slates 
(or what is better, in their note books), and be required 
to reproduce them on the board. Talk about the length 
and breadth of Illinois; its navigable rivers; lake coast; 
why favorable for commerce; its imports and exports; 
railroads; coal and lead mines; its principal canal (define 
canal); its two Normal Schools; State University; peni- 
tentiary; bridge at East St. Louis; shot-tower and crib 
at Chicago. Let the teacher direct pupils how to find 
these and many more items of interest. Make good use 
of all the special geographies of Illinois. Read all that 
can be found concerning a place while studying it. 

Models for the Class Recitation. Rivers: The Illinois 
river rises in the northeast part of the State, flows south- 
west, and empties into the Mississippi river. Cities: 



26o How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Chicago, the metropoh's, is situated in the northeast part 
of Illinois at the head of Lake Michigan. Lakes: Lake 
Peoria is an expansion of the Illinois river, just above 
the city of the same name. 

Define the following terms at the proper time in the 
study of the above: Valley, plain, prairie, forest, rivulet 
or rill, brook, course of a river, source of a river, mouth 
of a river, bank of a river, right bank, left bank, bed of 
a river, river basin, pond, lake, lake shore, harbor, 
railroad, village, town, capital, capitol, metropolis, 
political division, map. 

Whenever you have completed the October work, 
take up the November outline and study it as far as you 
can. The division of this book by months does not 
indicate that this is the limit of the work at all, but sim- 
ply the limit of the examination for the month. 

The thoughtful teacher will have his classes get the 
idea expressed by each term in geography before he re- 
quires a definition. Do not make the sad mistake of 
beginning at the first page of the book and spending 
several weeks on definitions, but commence at once with 
the map studies and develop the idea as you find need 
for the terms. Definitions are meaningless, unless the 
pupil has a clear idea of their meaning. 

NOVEMBER — NORTH ATLANTIC STATES. 

(New England.)— Arrange the following geographi- 
cal objects, by States, as suggested for Illinois: Rivers— 
St. Croix, Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Merri- 
mac, Connecticut, Thames. Lakes — Grand, Moosehead, 
Chesuncook, Winnipeseogee, Memphremagog, Cham,- 
plain. Bays — Passamaq^uo4dy, Penobscot, Casco,Massa- 



Outline of Study for Interviediate Division. 261 

chusetts, Cape Cod, Buzzard's, Narragansett. Mountains 
— White and Green. Mountain Peaks — Mt. Katahdin, 
Saddle Back, Mt. Washington, Mt. Mansfield, Killing- 
ton Peak, Mt. Tom, Mt. Holyoke. Islands — Grand 
Menan, Mt. Desert, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard. 
Capes — Ann, Cod. Cities — Portland, Augusta, Bangor, 
Manchester, Concord, Nashua, Portsmouth; Burling- 
ton, Montpelier, Rutland; Boston (capital), Cambridge, 
Lynn, Salem, Lowell, Plymouth, Worcester, Spring- 
field; Providence, Newport (capitals); New Haven, 
Hartford, New London, Bridgeport, Norwich. Note: 
The metropolis is placed first, the capital second, in the 
list of cities. 

Define each new term introduced, and review others 
daily until learned. 

Do not memorize areas, except for a very few of the 
most important states. 

Show the child how to arrange each state under the 
brace. Suppose we are to study Maine; the child 
should make up his outline on the slate as he studies his 
lesson, thus: 



'' Boundary. 
Area (comparative). 

St. John's. 
St. Croix. 
Rivers. <J Penobscot. 
Kennebec. 



Lakes. 



Androscoggin. 

Grand. 

Moosehead. 

Chesuncook. 



262 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



Maine 
1820. 



Bays. 



Mts. 



Islands 



Cities. 



Passamaquoddy. 

Penobscot. 

Casco. 

Katahdin. 
Saddle Back. 

Grand Menan. 
Mt. Desert. 

Portland. 

Augusta. 

Bangror. 



Vegetable. 

Animal. 

Mineral. 



Products for New England (as a 
whole). 



Objects of Interest. 

The teacher should place the outlines on the board for 
a few lessons and spend the recitation in showing the 
pupil how to study his lesson (topically), and how 
to recite it. Have numerous tracing lessons and 
imaginary voyages. Make the lesson and the study 
lively by talks with pupils about history connected with 
places, about colleges, scenery, tunnels, water power, 
derivation of names, nicknames, etc. Associate some- 
thing important with everything learned. 

When you have completed the New England (Eastern) 
States, begin at once on the December work. TJie divi- 
sion into month's zvork is simply for the purpose of 
review and examination. 



DECEMBER — MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 

Rivers. — Hudson, Mohawk, St. Lawrence, Oswego, 
Genesee, Niagara, Delaware, Schuylkill and Lehigh, 



Oiitline of Study for Inter mediate Division. 263 

Susquehanna, Juniata and Potomac, Ohio, Alleghany, 
Monongahela. 

Cities. — New York, Brooklyn, Albany, West Point, 
Troy, Saratoga, Utica, Syracuse, Auburn, Rochester, 
Buffalo, Elniira, Trenton, Jersey City .Newark, Princeton, 
Camden, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Reading, Pittsburg, 
Erie, Dover, Wilmington, Baltimore, Annapolis, Wash- 
ington. 

Bays. — New York, Long Island Sound, Delaware, 
Chesapeake. 

Mountains.— Adirondac, Highlands, Catskill, Alle- 
gheny, Mt. Marcy. 

Lakes. — Erie, Ontario, Champlain, Oneida, Cayuga, 
Seneca, Chautauqua, and Otsego. 

Capes. — May, Henlopen. 

As soon as you complete the outline for December, 
begin with that for January. It will be all the better if 
you can do more than is here outlined. 

JANUARY — south ATLANTIC, SOUTH CENTRAL AND 
NORTH CENTRAL STATES. 

Rivers. — James, Roanoke, Neuse, Cape Fear, 
Santee, Savannah, Altamaha, St. Mary's, St. John's, 
Appalachicola, (Flint and Chattahoochee), Mobile, 
(Alabama and Tombigby) Pearl, Yazoo, Mississippi, 
Tennessee, Cumberland, Kentucky, Wisconsin, St. Croix. 

Cities. — Richmond, (capital), Norfolk, Yorktown, 
Alexandria, Lynchburg, Petersburg; Wilmington, Ral- 
eigh, New Berne; Charleston, Columbia; Savannah, 
Atlanta, Milledgeville, Augusta, Dalton, Columbus, 
Macon; Jacksonville, Tallahassee, St. Augustine, Pen- 
sacola, Key West; Mobile, Montgomery, Selma, Hunts- 



264 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

ville; Vicksburg, Jackson, Natchez; Memphis, Nash- 
ville, Chattanooga, Knoxville; Louisville, Frankfort, 
Lexington; Wheeling (capital), Parkersburg, Charles- 
ton; Indianapolis (capital), Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, 
Evansville, New Albany, Madison, Lafayette; Cincin- 
nati, Columbus, Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo, Spring- 
field, Dayton; Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Grand 
Rapids, East Saginaw, Ann Arbor; Milwaukee, Madi- 
son, Fon du Lac, Racine, La Crosse, Oshkosh. 

Capes. — Charles, Henry, Lookout, Fear, Sable. 

Lakes. — Okeechobee, Erie, St. Clair, Huron, Michi- 
gan, Superior. 

Bays. — Pamlico Sound, Albermarle Sound, Appala- 
chee, Mobile, Saginaw, Green Bay, Tampa. 

Mountains. — Alleghany, Cumberland, Blue Ridge, 
Mitchell's Peak. 

Define Mathematical, Physical and Political Geogra- 
phy. Illustrate fully. 

Position \ Absolute,(!atitude. longitude) 
( Relative, (boundary.) 

Determine the <; r-- S r> 1.1' 

^ Size < Breadth. 



J V Area, 
and ^ 

^Population of the United States. 

Review any of the outlines found in the "Oral Geog- 
raphy. " 

Review terms needed. 

Pass to next month's work when this is exhausted. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 265 

FEBRUARY — WEST CENTRAL (NORTH AND SOUTH DIVI- 
SION) WESTERN OR HIGHLAND STATES. 

Rivers.— Minnesota. Des Moines, Missouri, Osage, 
Kansas, Platte, Red River of the North, Arkansas, Red, 
Sabine, Brazos; Colorado, Rio Nueces, Rio Grande, 
Columbia, Sacramento, Colorado (Green and Grand), 
San Joaquin, Yukon, Willamette, Snake. 

Cities. — Minneapolis, St. Paul, Winona, Red Wing; 
Davenport, Des Moines, Burlington, Keokuk, Dubuque, 
Council Bluffs; St. Louis, Jefferson City, Kansas City, 
Hannibal, St. Joseph; Leavenworth, Topeka, Lawrence; 
Omaha, Lincoln; Little Rock (capital). Hot Springs; 
New Orleans, Baton Rouge; Galveston, Austin, Hous- 
ton, San Antonio, Brownsville; San Francisco, Sacra- 
mento, San Jose; Portland, Salem; Virginia City, Car- 
son City, Denver (capital). 

The Territories. — Prescott, Tucson, Santa Fe, 
Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne, Boise City, 
Idaho City, Helena, Virginia City, Tallequah, Yankton, 
Sitka. 

Mountains.— Iron, Pilot Knob, Pike's Peak, Mt. 
Shasta, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Elias, Mt. Fairweather, 
Rocky, Coast, Sierra Nevada. 

Lakes. — Itasca, Devil's, Great Salt, Tulare, Klamath. 

Capes. — Flattery, Mendocino, Pt. Conception, Prince 
of Wales. 

OTHER COUNTRIES OF NORTH AMERICA. 

Cities. — Halifax, Charlottown, Frederickton, St. 
John, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, St. John's, 
Winnipeg, Victoria, New Westminster, Havana, Aspin- 
wall, Panama, San Salvador, Guatemala, Balize, Vera 



2^6 How to Grade and Teach a Country School . 

Cruz, Tampico, Mexico, Acapulco, Matamoras, Reyk- 
javik. 

Islands. — Greenland, Iceland, New Foundland, 
Cape Breton, Bermudas, Bahamas, West Indies, Sitka. 
(Name the largest four.) 

Capes. — Farewell, Race, Sable, St. Lucas, Barrow. 

Bays. — Hudson, Baffin, St. Lawrence, Mexico, Cam- 
peachy, Honduras, California. Caribbean and Behring 
Straits. 

Generalize the study of North America at this point, 
and make up general topic lists for review. 

The teacher should carefully scan the map of North 
America for cities of importance omitted from tho'se 
here selected. 

For review this class can do no better than turn to 
the outlines for "Oral Geography" of the United States, 
and make a thorough study of the several geographical 
divisions of the Union. 

ARITHMETIC— B. INTERMEDIATE. 

Book. — In the hands of the pupil. 

Object. — To complete the work begun in the Primary 
Division and lay the foundation for thorough work in 
the Advanced Division. 

The Third Reader class, together with the brightest 
pupils of the Second Reader, should complete the 
number work begun in the Primary Division, and take 
up Notation and Numeration, studying through the 
four fundameiftal rules. If this class be allowed to pur- 
chase books, they should be some one of the modern 
authors and Book Number One of a two-book series or 
Book Number Two of a three-book series. The Prac- 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division, 267 

tical Arithmetic is too difficult for this grade. If pupils 
already possess books it will be advisable to follow some 
modern graded book as a guide in the pupil's progress. 
He will progress more rapidly by doing much of this 
work in connection with his regular text book questions. 

Definitions should not be required of pupils in this 
grade, but they should have much practice in problems 
suited to their capacity. 

All work in Arithmetic should be anticipated by 
preparation for new work, given orally, and without 
use of book. Thus, while the pupil is yet studying 
addition and subtraction, the teacher should lead him 
to understand these operations in United States money. 
With many of our authors it is best to turn forward to 
the application of problems in United States money 
and solve them ere completing the same operations in 
simple numbers. 

The teacher should require a complete mental solu- 
tion of at least one problem daily. 

Problems for solution may be placed upon the board. 
By placing a problem before pupils daily, of a nature to 
bring out principles studied, the teacher will secure a 
practical review that is so essential to success in teach- 
ing Arithmetic. 

Remember that you can not require too many prac- 
tical problems from your pupils, provided that you 
insist upon a complete explanation. 

The table for time should be introduced and disposed 
of long before reaching compound numbers. Many 
problems should be given upon each table in order to 
give pupils sufficient practice. 

Teachers should study economy of time in their 



268 Hozk; to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

instruction of classes. It is a decided loss of time to 
require pupils to solve problems during recitation. 
Lessons are usually assigned at the preceding recitation, 
and SHOULD BE PREPARED AT THE STUDY DESK, NOT 
AT THE RECrrATiON. If problems are assigned, they 
should be solved, then written upon the slate or paper 
as in examination by indicating all the processes, thus 
placing the solution in its best order for verbal analysis. 
The whole recitation should be given to the analysis of 
these problems, and to the teacher's suggestions. 
Illnstration : 

i.» How many boots in lo pairs? 

2. At ic. a It)., what will i^ a ton of hay cost? 

3. A farmer bought 24 sheep and sold ^ of them; 
how many had he left? 

4. A man earns $9 a week, and his son $4; what 
will they earn in 4 weeks? 

5. If 8 weeks' board cost $72, what will 6 weeks' 
cost? 

These should be solved and arranged as follows: 
{Slate Arrangement.^ 

(i.) 2x 10=20, No. of boots. 

(2.) >^ of 2,000 ft)s.= 1,000 lbs., 1,000 X ic=i,oooc. 
or $10.00. 

(3.) }i of 24=:8, sold; 24—8=16, left. 

(4-) $9 + $4 = $i3, earned in i week; $I3X4 = $52, 
earned in 4 weeks. 

(5.) Yz of $72=$9, fori week; $9x6==$54, for 6 
weeks. 

In the recitation the analysis would be about as 
follows: 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 269 

1. Since i pair is two boots, 10 pair will consist of 
10 times 2 boots, or 20 boots. 

2. 14 of a ton of hay is i^ of 2000 lbs., or 1000 
lbs.; since i pound cost i cent, 1000 lbs. will cost 1000 
times ic. = ioooc., or $10.00. 

3. 1/3 of 24 sheep is 8; since he had 24 sheep and 
sold 8 of them, he will have left the difference between 
24 sheep and 8 sheep, which is 16 sheep. 

4. If a man earn $9 in i week, and his son $4, they 
will earn the sum of $9 and $4 which is $13, in i week- 
since they earn $13 in i week, they will earn 4 times 
$13 in 4 weeks, which is $52. 

5. If 8 week's board cost $72, one week's board will 
cost y^ of $72, or $9; 6 week's board will cost 6 times 
$9, or $54. 

To make these analyses complete, the teacher should 
have his pupils add the conclusion, as ordinarily given 
in the arithmetics. 

The pupil should be prepared upon the practical work 
of factoring long before he reaches this division in 
Arithmetic. He should be able to name the prime and 
the composite numbers to 100; the odd and even num- 
bers at sight; numbers divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 
9; he should be able to write the factors of all numbers 
to 100 at least. If this be done, he will have but little 
trouble with factoring. 

The methods here given are but suggestive, and are 
intended only to illustrate how the teacher may be able 
to secure methods of his own, better than these. Do 
not use these unless you have no others. 

No teacher can afford to lose his individuality in the 
attempt to carry out the methods of another. The 



270 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

teacher must adopt those methods which he can use, 
and invent or improve others, always keeping in mind 
that every method must be according to the principles 
of the development of the child nature. 

At first it may be necessary to limit the examinations 
for Obtober to the fundamental principles; after ayear's 
work as here directed, this trouble will be obviated. 

OCTOBER. 

I. Addition; sum, sign, equality, like numbers, 
principles, rule. 

Give numerous practical problems. 

Think of results, and not the numbers themselves. 
Thus, do not say 4 and 5 are 9, and 7 are 16, and 8 are 
24, etc.; but 9, 16, 24, etc. In adding long columns, 
prove the result by adding each column separately in 
the opposite direction before adding the new column. 
Write one or two problems on the board similar to these 
daily, and have them solved at the study desk for the 
recitation. 

1. Find the sum of all the numbers ending with 5, 
from 5 to 75. 

2. Find the sum of the four numbers that can be 
expressed by the two numbers 5 and 8. 

3. Find the sum of all the numbers from 12 to 36. 

4. Find the sum of all the even numbers from i to 
72. 

5. Find the sum of the odd numbers from i to 55. 

6. How many days in 

Summer?") 

Winter? ! x ..u -. 

<:,..,> In the year? 
Sprmg? ( 

Fall? 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 271 

Continue this at pleasure; constant and rigid disci- 
pline in the process of addition will finally succeed in 
making pupils accurate. 

Subtraction; minuend, subtrahend, difference, sign, 
principles, rule. 

Secure all the practical problems possible. Have 
most solutions proved for a time. 

How do salesmen usually make change? Explain 
whether it is by subtraction or by addition. 

1. Bought a cow for $75 and a horse for $125, and 
paid $120 down. How much do I owe yet? 

2. Find the sum of the ages of three men in 1885, 
born in 1824, 1840 and 1850, respectively. 

3. Find the difference between the largest and small- 
est numbers that can be expressed by the nine digits. 

4. Mr. Wicks and Mr. Walker live, respectively, 
987 miles and 239 miles west of this place. How far 
apart do they live? 

5. How many days from Mar. 16 to Dec. 10? 
Continue problems at pleasure. 

Pass at once to November outline. 
NOVEMBER. 

1. Multiplication; multiplicand, multiplier, product, 
sign. 

2. The denomination of the product. What about 
the multiplier? 

Multiplicand x Multiplier=:Product. 



4. Principles 

of <J Multiplier. 

Multiplication 



Product. 



> ^Multiplicand. 



Product. > 

^ SMtipricindr \ =Multiplier. 



272 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

5. Table of dry Measure with a review of the tables 
already learned. 

Note. — Solve at least one example a day in Mental 
Arithmetic, using a method of analysis similar to the 
following: 

Example: — Find the cost of five bushels oats at 
thirty-five cents a bushel. 

After the pupil has repeated the problem understand- 
ingly, he should say: 

Since one bushel of oats costs thirty-five cents, five 
bushels will cost five times thirty-five cents, which is 
one dollar and seventy-five cents; hence five bushels of 
oats will cost one dollar and seventy-five cents. 

Drill ! Drill !! Drill !!! 

Do not stop with the limit of the examination but 
move right along as far as possible to do the work thor- 
oughly. 

Write one or two good search questions each day; 
have these written out upon the slates, neatly and care- 
fully; all the suggestions given upon the subject of 
examinations should be considered in the examination 
of slates. 

Do not omit daily reviews. Those teachers who 
neglect these reviews are often surprised to learn that 
their pupils cannot readily solve and analyze "promis- 
cuous problems," found in their arithmetics. 

Review! Review!! Review!!! 

The process should precede the theory in this divi- 
sion. Give pupils good methods and processes in 
order to have good forms for analysis. Let analysis 
precede the definition, and omit the text book defi- 
nition until about ready to leave the subject. 



Out line of Study for Intermediate Division. 273 

If the teacher has been active he can at once pass to 
the next month's work, and prepare the pupils for exam- 
inations by means of his daily reviews. 

1. 2x4x0x3 X6=:? 

2. Why begin at the right hand to add columns? 

3. Why are the multiplicand and multiplier called 
factors? 

4. Why is the right hand figure of each fractional 
product always written directly beneath the figure of 
the multiplier that produced it? 

5. Of what denomination is the product? 

6. Can you multiply turnips by potatoes? Suppose 
you were asked to multiply five turnips by three pota- 
toes, what would you say? Multiply $2.00 by 50 
cents. (Be cautious.) 

7. Why is the table of Dry Measure so called? 
Why not call it Wet Measure? 

8. A man sold 13 cows, then bought ten and then 

had 12; how many had he at first? and 

began playing marbles with 20 each; at the close of the 
game one had 16, how many had the other? (Insert 
the names of two of your pupils.) 

^ jVIi-, bought 15 horses, and sold 6 of 

them, and then lacked 4 of having 20; how many had 
he at first? 

10. Think of any number, multiply it by 6, divide 
by 3, multiply by 2, divide by 4, add 10, subtract the 
number thought of, divide by 5, the quotient is what? 

11. Thomas travels 5 miles an hour, and John 3; 
how much farther will Thomas travel in 12 hours than 
John? 



274 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



12. There are i8 horses in a barn. How many 
shoes will it require to shoe them? 

13. What will cost fourteen cows, 18 horses and 60 
hogs; cows worth $34-00, horses $165.00, hogs $11.00 
each. 

14. The cost of all these: 



25 bbls. flour @ $5.60. 
32 bags flour @ $2.75. 
19 " bran at 90 cts. 
14 ** oatmeal at 48 cts. 
25 lbs. wheat @ 7 cts. 



1 13 bu. wheat at $1.22. 
217 bu. barley at $1.05. 
324 bu. oats at $0.45. 
416 bu. rye at $0.95. 
322 bu. peas at $0.75. 



15. 24 + 6 — 3 + 7x4 + 8 — 6 + 7 y. 6 y. 14=:? 

16. A boy had 13 apples and five times as many 
peaches, how many had he? 

27. Mr. — bought 35 cloaks at $19.00 each, 

cartage $4.00; how much shall he charge for them in 
order to clear $21.00? 

18. Find the cost of these: 



25 bbls. of flour at $5.60. 
32 bags of flour at $2 75. 
19 bags of bran at $0.90. 
14 stone of oatmeal at 48c. 
27 lbs. of wheat at 7c. 
27 lbs. of pork at 18 cents. 
32 lbs. of beef at 12c. 
18 lbs. of mutton at 14c. 
1 2 lbs. of veal at i 5c. 
18 lbs. of lamb at r7c. 
25 lbs. of ham at i 3c. 
38 yds. cotton cloth at 7c. 
42 yds. cashmere at 58c. 



37 yds. flannel at 35c. 

52 yds. muslin at 19c. 

64 yds. prints at 14c. 

52 yds. lace at 98c. 

12 tons hard coal at $8.00. 

14 tons soft coal at $2. 25. 

18 cords wood at $6.50. 
215 bu. apples at $2. 15. 
420 bu. plums at ^1.20. 
132 bu. peaches at $1.75. 
215 bu. cherries at $1.35, 
217 bu. pears at $1.50. 
130 bu. quinces at $1.40. 



Pass to next month's outline when this is completed. 



OiUline of Study for Inter mediate Division 275 

DECEMBER. 

1. Division; dividend, divisor, quotient, signs, 
remainder. 

2. How prove work? 

3. What are the factors in division? 

4. Understand and define even and odd numbers, 
prime and composite numbers. 

5. All work to be explained should be indicated. 

f^^df^ I = Quotient. 
I Divisor. J 
Principles | 

6- ^. .^^ ^^_^^^^^ Divisor. 
Division: Quotient. ) 

Divisor x Quotient = Dividend. 

7. Table of Long Measure with a review of the 
tables already learned. 

8. Solve at least one example a day in Mental 
Arithmetic, using a method of analysis similar to the 
following: 

Example. — Mary sold four quarts of berries at ten 
cents a quart, and with the money bought calico at five 
cents a yard. How many yards of calico did she 
receive? 

Since one quart of berries is worth ten cents, four 
quarts must be worth four times ten cents, which is 
forty cents. If for five cents she received one yard of 
calico, for forty cents she would receive as many yards 
as five cents are contained times in forty cents, which 
are eight times; hence eight yards of calico. 

Drill! Drill!! Drill!!! 

Do all work thoroughly, indicate and give full analysis 



276 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Cotuitry School. 

of every problem; have new and original problems 
every day. 

Analyze everything, or at least be satisfied that your 
pupils can do so. 

Do not neglect to write problems upon the board 
and have them solved, indicated, and analyzed in the 
class. 

Spend all the time iji the class in the recitation and in 
explanation. Do not lose a minute in preparation in 
the class. It is disorganizing in the extreme to spend 
the recitation hour in the preparation of the lesson; if 
you would suceed in Arithmetic, economize time and 
have clear solutions given from prepared work in mathe- 
matical formulas. Mental Arithinetic is invaluable. 
Do not forget this: 

1. If the divisor is 14, the dividend 265, what is the 
quotient? 

2. If the divisor is 15, the remainder 7, the quotient 
16, what is the dividend? 

3. If 6 men can mow 12 acres of grass in a day, how 
much can 8 men mow in the same time? 

4. A man gave 9 bushels of wheat for 3 barrels of 
flour, what was the wheat worth if 8 bbls. of flour were 
worth $72? 

5. Of what denomination is the quotient? The re- 
mainder? 

6. A man raised 8,800 bushels of corn on 160 acres 
of land, which he sold at SOc. per bushel; how much did 
it average in price per acre? 

7. When you say, "Divide 24 by 3," what do you 
mean? 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division, 277 

8 A merchant bought 240 barrels of flour for $920, 
and sold it at $10.50 a barrel. What did he gain? 

9. What cost 9 quarts of milk if 4 quarts cost 20c.? 

10. If 12 yards cost $40, at how much a yard must 
it be sold to gain $20? 

11. How many acres in a piece of land 60 rods 
square. 

12. What will be the cost of a portion of land 120 
X240 rods, at $40 per acre? 

13. What is the area of a square piece of land, the 
distance of which is 560 rods around? 

1760 yards = i mile. 
3520 - = " 





8660 - 


« 




92470 " 


« 


12 inches 


1= I foot. 


I yard==:36 inches. 


24 '' 


= 2 feet. 


26 '' z= 


60 " 


(t 


75 " = 


720 " 


(( 


18 '' = " 


4520 " 


(( 


19 " = 



14. At 3c. a yard, what will 5 miles of telegraph 
cost? 

15. My neighbor's farm is ^ of a mile square; how 
many acres does it contain? 

16. How many days in 7 of the longest months? 

17. How many will it take to do in one day what 368 
men do in 134 days? How long will it take i man? 

18. How many men can perform the same work in 
16 days? 

19. How many square inches in the surface of a brick 
8 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches thick? 



278 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

20. A lad boQght a history for $1. 10, gave the mer- 
chant a $2 bill. He received his change. He then 
bought a dictionary for $3.60, giving the merchant a 
five dollar bill, the only bill he had; how much money 
had he after the transaction? 

2 1 . What cost 60 apples at the rate of 10 for 7 cents? 

22. If eggs are worth 9 cents a dozen, and butter 12 
cents a pound, how many eggs are worth 6 Bbs. of 
butter? 

23. In 7 times 11 less 5, how many 9's? 

24. How many times can 437 be subtracted from 
18791? 

25. What is the difference between 106x127 and 
15341^29? 

26. How many ft)s. of sugar at 9c. a tb. can be 
bought for $14.67? 

The limits as given above are not intended to have 
the class devote its whole time to the terms listed, but 
the class shall move along just in proportion to its 
attainment. If the class can readily solve the prob- 
lems embraced in the above theory, it should not even 
stop to review the book problems, but take work just 
where its attainments place it. By so doing, the class 
may take one or two terms from the outline daily, for 
definition and illustration, until it is prepared for the 
examination. 

It may be that classes can readily solve and analyze 
all problems to fractions; if so, permit them to begin at 
that place, and to review a little daily upon the month's 
work. 

Try this test; rule spaces upon the board to be 
copied on the slates as follows: 



Outlhie of Study for Intermediate Division. 279 



TMIZJU 



7 
9 

8 

4 

5 
6 

9 

3 

Now require the pupils to perform the operations 
upon columns i and 2 indicated by the sign over other 
column, and to write the result in the appropriate 
column, opposite the numbers producing them. Thus 
in column 3, the pupil would w^rite 7) m column 4 he 
would write 3; i^ column 5 he would write 10; 2>^ m 
column 6; and 22>^ in column 7. ^ ^ 

The teacher can readily change this by substituting 
other numbers in columns i and 2. This form will serve 
the same purpose in common and decimal fractions. ^ 

When the above is completed pass to the next divi- 
sion. Do not wait for the examination. 



28o Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



MEASURES. 



JANUARY. 

{Linear. 
Surveyors*. 
Square. 
Circular. 
Cloth. 
{Cubic. 
Beer. 
i Avoirdupois. 
Weight. } Troy. 

( Apothecarys. 

Currency. "■ S; Money. 

( English Money. 
Duration. — Time. 



Reduction, ascending, descending. 
Have appropriate practical problems upon each table. 
Have at least one review problem each day. 

1. What is the value of a pile of wood 4 ft. in 
height, 6 ft. in length and 3^ ft. in width, at $4.50 
per cord? 

2. What cost 24 joists whose dimensions are 4 in. 
by 3 in. and i i feet long, at 25 cts. a cu. ft? 

3. At $1 per yd. what will it cost to carpet a room 
18 ft. long and 15 ft. wide? 

4. At 8 cts a pound, what will 3 cwt. of sugar cost? 

5. What is the cost of a ton of hay at i cent a pound? 

6. At $3.00 a bushel, what is the cost of 30 lbs. of 
beans? 

7. At $12 a barrel, what will a sack of flour weigh- 
ing 49 lbs. cost? 

8. What is the cost of 2 bags of wheat, each con- 
taining 120 lbs., at $2 per bushel? 



Outline of Study for httermediate Division. 2S1 

9. What will be the cost of i hhd. of molasses at 
28 cts. per gallon? 

10. How many years in the 1 8th century? In the 19th? 
If. At 125^ cents each, what will be the cost of 2 

dozen v/riting books? 

12. How many rods offence around a section of land? 

13. What will be the cost of 3 mi. of telegraph at 
12 cts. per foot? Of i hhd. of wine, at 40 cts. a pint? 

14. Of 360 quarts of milk at 32 cts. a gallon? 

15. Of I ton of corn meal at $1.20 per bushel? 

16. How many days from May 10, to July 16, in- 
clusive? 

17. How many dozens in i^ of a great gross? 

18. What cost a gross of pens at 10 cts. a dozen? 

19. How many days has a person lived who is 12 
years old? 

20. If you can count 60 a minute, how long will it 
take to count 1800? 

21. How much hay in 13 stacks, each containing 4 
T. 13 cwt. 56 lbs. ? 

22. If 12 equal bins hold 430 bu. 2 pks. of wheat, 
how much wheat is there in each bin? 

23. How many rotations will a wheel 12 ft. 6 in. in 
circumference make in rolling a mile? 

24. What will 56 lbs. of grapes cost at 125^ cents a 
pound? 

25. What will 120 spellers cost at 25 cents apiece? 

26. What is the cost of 96 eggs at 20 cts. a dozen? 

27. At 25 cts. a dozen, how many dozen eggs can 
be bought for $42.00? 

28. What will 2 pks. 7 qts. of chestnuts cost at 
$3.20 per bushel? 



282 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



If not already done, it would be well to show the 
pupils how land is divided into half sections, quarter 
sections, etc. From such devices as the following, 
secure a good knowledge of these divisions: 



a 1 6 1 
-__i — J 
c 1 
^^ e 

d 1 

. i ^' ^ 

li-L... 

m 


1 
9 \ h 

] 


6 


6 


4 


3 


2 


1 


7 


8 


9 


10 


11 


12 


18 


17 


16 


15 


14 


13 


n 


19 


20 


21 


22 


23 


24 


30 


29 


28 


27 


26 


25 


31 


32 


33 


34 


36 


36 



(III) (11) 

Let pupils write deed discription of 8o's, 40's, etc. 

For suggestive problems see list at close of this divi- 
sion of the course of study. 

The pupil should study the sub-division of the toivn- 
ship and sections as indicated by the following diagrams: 

West RANGES East 







V 


IV 


III 


// 


/ 


1 


// 


/// 


IV 


V 






M- 








H 






G 










^ 


CO 


J 








1 
















«N 






B 






A 












1 


- 








Bas 


ie 


L 


ne 






I 






- 










F 






E 










C^4 










1 








D 






1 


CO 




























•^ 






K 




& 









































CI) 



Outlme of Study for lutcnnediate Division. 283 



TABLE. 



I section, i mi. by i mi.= i sq 



mi. =640 a. 



^2 section, i mi. by ^ mi.= ^ sq. mi. =320 a. 
i^ section, ^ mi. by ^ mi.==: y^ sq. mi. = 160 a. 
^ section, 1/2 n^i- by y^ mi.= y^ sq. mi.= 80 a. 
1-16 section, i^ mi. by y^ mi.= 1-16 sq. mi.= 40 a. 
Make numerous practical problems upon above. 
Pass to next month's work. 

FEBRUARY. 

The fundamental rules applied to compound denom- 
inate numbers. The Government Land Surveys and 
practical land problems applied to farming. 

Numbers factored to 100. 

Drill! Drill!! Drill!!! 

Other months at the discretion of the teacher; usually 
it will be well to take the October work for the B. class, 
in this division, for this month; if the class attend 
through the spring months, it is best to take the regular 
monthly work for the fall months; this prepares the 
pupil for strong work during the following year. 

But few terms should be defined in this class; it is 
enough to be able to solve the problems and to give a 
full and complete analysis of them. 

It is better to have a pupil able to comprehend, solve, 
accurately and understandingly, practical problems con- 
cerning the measurement of lumber, as applied to build- 
ings, fencings, walks, etc.; the application of square 
measure; solid measure; and the buying and selling of 
stock, than to be able to give a hundred or more hair- 
splitting definitions, without their application in real 
practice. 



284 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 

It is better that a boy be able to write out and receipt 
a bill of goods, a receipt for money paid on account, a 
promissory note, endorsements upon the same, etc., 
than to define all these terms without knowing what 
they mean. " Words, words, my lord," do not always 
indicate a knowledge of a subject; it is practice and 
explanation that indicate it in the study of Arithmetic. 

What is the difference of time between Washington 
and Greenwich? 

The difference in time between Boston and Detroit is 
47 min. 56 sec; what is the difference in longitude? 

When it is 9 A. M. in New York, Ion. 74° 3', what 
is the time in Richmond, Va., Ion. 77° 35' 45^^? In 
San Francisco, Ion. 122° 26' 45''? 

If a ship's chronometer at noon reads 9:30 A. M., 
how many degrees and in what direction has she sailed? 

Take your geographies and arithmetics and make out 
the longitude of the principal cities, thus: 



Boston, 71° V W W. 
Chicago, 87° ZV 47'' W. 
Cincinnati, 84° 27^ 00^^ W. 
New Orleans, 90° 00^ 00^^ W. 
New York, 74° 0^ 3^^ W. 
Sau Francisco, 122° 26^ 45^^ 



Washington, 77° 0^ 15^^ W. 
Canton, 113° 14^0^^ E. 
Constantinople, 28° 59^ 0'' E. 
Loudon, 5^M8^^ W. 
Paris, 2° 20^ 22^^ E. 
Berlin, 13° 23^ 53^^ E. 



Form all the problems you can from these data, thus: 
When it is noon in San Francisco, what is the time in 
Canton? 

When the captain of a vessel bound from New 
Orleans to New York, finds his chronometer 24m. slow 
by the sun, is he E. or W. of N. Y., and how far? 

Find the difference in longitude corresponding to the 



following difference of time: 



11 hr. 17 min. 13 sec. 

6 hr. 69 min. 17 sec. 

10 hr. 10 min. 10 sec. 



7 hr. 17 min. 27 sec. 

15 lir. 14 min. 29 sec. 

5 hr. 29 miu. 25 sec. 



8 lir. 16 min. 24 sec. 
[7 hr. 19 min. 37 sec. 
4 hr. 9 min. 45 sec. 



Outline of Study for Literuiediate Division. 28$ 

Put the following items in the form of bills, as if 
bought from your merchant, and find the amount of 
each, and receipt them. 

Bought 35 doz. gloves at $4.50 per doz. ; 95 yds. 
black silk, at $0.8/)^ per yard; 115 yds. colored silk 
at $0.78; 36 crape shawls at $32.50 apiece; 65 Broche 
ditto at $17.80; what was the amount of the bill? 

January 22, 1887. Thomas Gibson buys of James 
Currie and Son, on account, 35 yds. Tweed at $1.20; 
14 yds. Drilling at 123^ cts. 

July 5, 1886. W. H. Huston buys of J. S. Robert- 
son & Bros., on account, 3 quires Foolscap at 27 c. ; 
5^ quires Letter at 22 c.; i McLellan's Algebra, $1 -75 ; 
I set Dickens, 12 volumes, $22.50; 3 Ancient Classics 
at 65 c. 

November 3, 1886. John Wallace buys of the 
Keewatin Lumber Co. , i 350 ft. pine at $32. 50 per M. ; 
6250 ft. hemlock, at $24.50 per M.; 3650 cedar posts 
$9.50 per C; 4500 shingles at $4 40 perM.; 12250 
fence pickets at $6.80 per M.; make bill and receipt it. 

August 20, 1885. Richard Ball buys of C. E. Brown 
& Co., 26 yds. silk at $1.45; 4 y<^s. lining at $0.15; 
2^ yds. lining at 20 c. ; 4 yds. muslin at 1 1 c. ; 2 doz. 
buttons at 25 c; 12 yds. flannel at 38 c. ; 5 yds. cotton 
@ $0.14; 2 pair kid gloves @ $1.25; 3^ yds. ribbon 
@ 42 c. ; I silk handkerchief, $1.45; 6^ yds. of em- 
broidery @ 36 cts.; make out and receipt the bill. 

Find the number of board feet in a board. 

12 feet long, 12 inches wide, i inch thick. 
12 *' " 10 ** ** I ** " 

j^ << <4 7 ** "I ** ** 



286 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



Find the number of board feet in a plank. 



12 

12 •' 

13 '' 
i6 " 

19 " 
i8 *' 
15 '' 
i6 " 

9K" 

7 " 

9 " 

lO " 

14 '' 
i6 " 

20 " 



feet long, i8 inches wide, 



1/ inches thick. 



14 
i6 

13 

i3>^ 
I4>^ 

8 

i6 
15 

9 

3 

4 

6 

5 



^2 
^% 
^% 

2 

3 

2 

2 
2>^ 

3% 

2% 

?>% 

4>^ 
3^ 



At $i8 per thousand find the total cost of 2 boards, 
12 feet long, 2 feet wide, i inch thick; 3 boards, 14 
feet long, i^ feet wide, i^ inches thick; 4 boards, 15 
feet long, 21^ feet wide, i i^ inches thick. 

At $20 per M. find the cost of 
3 planks, 12 feet long, 14 inches wide, 2 inches thick. 
5 " 18 " " 15 '• *' 3 

7 " 8 " ** 12 " " 2 '* '* 

At $27.50 per thousand find the total cost of 

5 scantlings 18 feet long 4 inches wide, 3 inches thick. 
9 - 14 " - 5 - - 4 - 

8 ** 12 " •* 6 " "5 *' ** 

At $22 per thousand, find the cost of the lumber 
required to enclose a square ten acre field with a board 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 287 

fence; the boards to be ii feet long, 6 inches wide, and 

I inch thick, and the fence four boards high. 

How many feet of lumber in a side walk 100 yards 
long, 6 feet wide, and i^ inches thick? 

How many feet of lumber in a fence 40 rds. long, 5 
feet high and i inch thick? 

Find the cost of 12 planks, each 12 feet long, 12 
inches wide and 3 inches thick, at $24 per M. 

How many board feet in a plank 14 feet long 12 
inches wide and 31^ inches thick? 

How much inch lumber will it require to cover a walk 
4 feet wide around a lot 300 by 250 yards? 

A bridge 132 yards long and 18 feet wide is covered 
by plank 2^^ inches thick; find the cost at $18.50 
per M. 

Find the cost of 3 boards, each 18 feet long, 14 
inches wide, and ^ of an inch thick, at $24 per 
thousand. 

How many rods of fence will be required to enclose 
a field in the shape of a rectangle, one side of which is 
64 rods, and containing 20 acres? 

What will it cost to paint the floor of a room 20x24 
feet, at 22c. per square yard? 

If a field 200 yards wide contain 15 acres, how long is 
it? 

How many bushels of wheat in a bin 391 inches long, 

II feet wide and filled 4^ feet deep? 

How many bushels of wheat will weigh as heavy as 
600 bushels of shelled corn? 

A farmer has a bin 18 feet long, 10 feet wide and 6 
feet deep which is 3^ full of wheat; what is the wheat 
worth at $1.10 per bushel? 



288 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Find the number of feet, board measure, in 25 joists, 
each 6 by 5 inches, and 18 feet long. 

Cash — on hand at the beginning of the day, $572.20; 
received during the day, $425.95; paid, $65.80; what 
is balance on hand? 

Cash — on hand at beginning of day, $273.87, 
received during day, $243.10; on hand at close of day, 
$362.42; what was paid out? 

Cash — on hand at beginning, $5,200.25; paid out 
$353-98; on hand at close, $6,056.83; how much 
received? 

Cash — received during day, $10.23; paid out, $15.63; 
balance on hand at close of day, $2.45; how much was 
on hand at beginning? 

Add I of a dozen to | of a hundred, and subtract the 
sum from ^| of a thousand. 

OCTOBER — ARITHMETIC — B. INTERMEDIATE. 

1. Factoring: prime and composite numbers; even 
and odd numbers, 

2. Divisor, common divisor, greatest common divisor. 

3. Find the Greatest Common Divisor of numbers by 
factoring only. Be able to explain the work. 

4. Multiple, common multiple, least common multiple, 

5. Find the Least Common Multiple by factoring. 
Be able to explain the work. 

6. Longitude and Time reviewed. 

Give much attention to common divisors, but do not 
require definitions until near the end of the month's 
work. 

Name the prime numbers from I to lOO. 

Name the odd numbers from i to 100. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 289 

What odd numbers are prime? (From i to 100.) 

What odd numbers are composite? 

What even number is prime? 

Which composite? 

What prime number can be divided by 2? 

What numbers can be divided by 2? 

Which of the following numbers cannot be divided 
by 3^—421, 565. 729. 463, 735. 861, 942. 

When is a number divisible by 3? 

When is a number divisible by 4? By 5? By 6? By 
8? By 9? By 10? By 1 1 ? 

What number must be subtracted from 461,633 to 
make it exactly divisible by 758? 

I have a coin, and on it is stamped MDCIV. In 
what year was it made? 

Except in large numbers the pupil should find the L. 
C. M. and the G. C. D. by factoring, thus: 

24=2, 2, 2, 3. W 2 = G. C. D. 

50 = 2, 5,5. > <: 2x2x2x2x2x3x5x5= 2400 

32 = 2, 2, 2, 2, 2. ) ( L. C. M. 

Rule. — The product of the COMMON factors equals 
the G. C. D. 

Rule. — The product of each factor taken the greatest 
number of times it occurs in anyone number equals the 
L. C. M. 

Prepare pupils for fractions long before they reach 
that topic. Learn the aliquot parts of lOO. 
14 of 100=50 i^ of 100=25 ^ofioo=i6j^ 

^^ of 100=331^' 1 of 100=20 i!^ of 100= 121^ 

What is the smallest sum of money which can be 
exactly expended for books at $5, or $3, or $4, or $8 each. 



290 How to Grade and Teach a Cotuitry School. 



Find the shortest piece of rope that can cut into 
pieces either 12, 14 or 20 feet long. 

Divide the L. C. M. of 7, 14, 42 by the G. C. D. of 
same numbers. 

Problems like the above should be given frequently. 
You cannot give too many practical problems in any 
division of the arithmetic. 

Of what value is the process of finding the L. C. M? 
Of the G. C D? 

2, if an even number. 

3, if the sum of its digits is divis- 
ible by 3. 

4, if the number expressed by its 
two right hand digits is divisible by 4. 

5, if its right hand figure be 5 or o. 

6, if an even number and divisible 
by 3- 

7, if the unit's period and the 
thousand's period are the same. 

8, if the first three figures are 
divisible by it. 

9, if the sum of its digits is divis- 
ible by it. 

10, if the right hand figure is O. 

11, if the unit's per:od and the 
thousand's period are the same. 

&c. , &c. , &c. 

Do not stop advance work in order to take the 
examination, but pass to the next division. 



Any number is 
divisible by 



NOVEMBER. — FRACTIONS. 

Note. — Remember that fractions occur in nearly 
every calculation of actual business, and that these frac- 
tions usually appear in the simple forms of halves, thirds, 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 291 

fourths, etc.; hence the importance of this subject. (A 
fraction is a division.) 

1. Fraction; terms (numerator and denominator), 
proper, improper, mixed numbers, simple, compound, 
complex. 

2. How reduce a fraction to its lowest terms? Upon 
what principle does this depend? Notice the use here 
made of factoring. 

3. How reduce an improper fraction to an integer or 
a mixed number? Solve many examples mentally, 
using a rigid form of analysis, as: Reduce 7/2 to a 
mixed number. Since in one unit there are 2/2, in 7/2 
there are as many units as 2/2 is contained times in 7/2, 
which is three times and a half; hence 7/2 are equal to 
3^ units. 

4. How reduce a mixed number to an improper frac- 
tion? 

Solve many examples mentally, using a rigid form of 
analysis, as: Reduce 3^ to an improper fraction. 
Since in one unit there are 2-2, in 3 units there must be 3 
times 2/2 which is 6/2; and 6/2+ V2 equals 7/2. 

5. How reduce a whole number to the form of a frac- 
tion? 

6. How reduce fractions to their least common denom- 
inator? What former principle is applied here, and of 
what use is this case? 

7. Addition of fractions. 

8. Subtraction of fractions. 
Drill! Exercise!! Practice!!! 

Turn forward to the promiscuous problems and solve 
those which apply to principles already learned. 



292 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



General 
Principles 

OF 

Fractions. 



Multiplying the numera- 
tor, or dividing the de- 
nominator, 

Dividing the numerator, 
or multiplying the de- 
nominator, 



MULTIPLIES 
the fraction. 



DIVIDES 

the fraction. 



Multiplying or dividing^ DOES NOT 

both the numerator and I CHANGE the 

denominator by the | value of the 
same number, J fraction. 

The above may be reduced to one general principle y 
viz: 

A change in the NUMERATOR, by multiplication or 
division, produces a LIKE change in the value of a frac- 
tion; but such a change in the DENOMINATOR produces 
an OPPOSITE change in the value of a fraction. 

Let each case be preceded by careful inductive exer- 
cises leading directly to modern processes for written 
solutions. 

You cannot give too much attention to the matter of 
correct mathematical solutions. 

Keep up the plan of giving one or two mental prob- 
lems daily. 

Pass to the next month's work at once. 

DECEMBER. 

1. Multiplication of fractions. 

2. How multiply a fraction by a fraction? 

3. Whenever a whole number is one of the factors, 
change it to the form of a fraction, and then proceed as 
in multiplication of one fraction by another. 

4. Division of fractions. 



Outline of Study for hitermediate Division, 293 

5. How divide a fraction by a fraction? 

6. Whenever a whole number occurs in division of 
fractions, change it to the form of a fraction, and then 
proceed as in division of fractions. 

Review where most needed. 

Find several authors and search for good "promiscuous 
problems. " 

Make up table of fractions to be filled out by pupil as 
in the fundamental rules. 

How many pecks in a bushel? In 44 bushels? One 
peck is what part of a bushel? of 44 bushels? Reduce 
44 bushels to pecks. How many 4ths in 44 bushels? 

Express in the simplest form 1344 divided by 1536. 

Which is the greater fraction, and why, ^-^^ or iff? 

In $19 how many lOths? how many 4ths? 20ths? 

What is the L. C. M. of the denominators f, | and |? 

What is the L. C. M. of the denominators oi\%, ^-^-^^ 
-i|and2|? Of6i, ^%, 7. li, 8^%, 4|? 

Express three of the seven equal parts of a unit. 

Business men frequently write only the numerators of 
4ths, placing it to the right and a little above the whole 
number, thus: 251 = 25I, 36^ = 362 or l6\, etc. 

242 -h 25 + 26I+ 273+ 282+ 293+ 24 +232+273 + 
292=? 

293_|_222+273+ 292+ 22^+ 2l3+ 263+28I+25I + 

32^=? 

492 + 542 +482+472 + 553 + 51 3 + 52+48+47^+461 

— ? 

Change 32 to a fraction whose denominator is 32. 
If I of a mill is worth $2500, what is \ of it worth? 
If I of a mill is worth $5225, what is \ of the remain- 
der worth? 



^94 iiow to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

If land is worth $28 per acre, what is | of a section 
worth? 

A lot and house cost $2400; the lot cost I of what 
the house cost. What was the cost of each? 

Robert sold 9 pecks of beans at the rate of 12 cents 
for 1^ of a peck; what did he receive? 

How much will 5 tons of hay cost, if $10 buy g of a 
ton? 

What is the difference between ^ of ^ and ^ o^ /^? 

How much greater is ^ of i^ than ^ of 3/^ ? 

How much money has Jacob, if y^ of 12 dollars is ^ 
of y^ of his money? 

A cow cost 18 dollars, and y^ of the cost of a cow is 
^ of ^ of the cost of an ox; required the cost of 
the ox. 

Annie having | of a pound of candies, shared them 
equally with her five schoolmates; what part of a pound 
did each receive? 

If 5 pints of milk cost 12 cents, how many pints can 
you purchase for 25 cents? 

Harvey bought 8 bushels of potatoes worth $5/^ a 
bushel, and paid for them with eggs at $| per dozen, 
how many dozen did it take? 

Mr. B. having lost $10, found that only | of his 
money remained; how much money had he? 

A merchant sold goods for \^ of what they cost, and 
thereby lost $24; what was the cost of his goods? 

20 is I of how many times ^ of 10? 

30 is I of how many times ^ of 12? 

18 is I of how many times ^ of 14? 

36 is I of how many times | of 15? 

35 is I of how many times |^ of 18? 



Outlifte of Study for Intermediate Division. 295 

y2 ^^ 16 is how many times y^ of 12? 
How many apples does a man give away who gives 5 
girls each | of an apple? 

What is the cost of seven pens at ^ cts. apiece? 
How many times ^ is ^? How many times -| is f ? 
What part of ^ is ^ ? Of ^ is s? Of | is ^? Of 
3<is^? Of I is I? Offis^? Of I is 3/? Of I 
is ^? Of f is f ? Of f is 21^? Of f is J^ of ?? 

Mary gave away some money, and then found 10 
cents, which is ^ of what she then had and \ of what 
she at first had; how much did she give away? 

What number is that to which if its third be added 
the sum will be 36? 

Find the number which being increased by its ^ 
equals 40. 

What number increased by its \ equals 80? 
What number diminished by its I equals 40? 
314 times a number minus ^ of the number equals 
34; what is the number? 
Find the cost — 

Of |- of a yard of flannel, at %Y^ a yard. 
Of 8^ bushels potatoes, at i'] yi cents a bushel. 
Of 21 1 yards of calico, at %yi a yard. 
Of 56 pounds of cotton, at \%\^ cents a pound. 
Of 15 cords of bark, at $4^ per cord. 
Of 80 yards of cloth, at $4y^6 ^ yard. 
Of -^^ of an acre of land, at $125 an acre. 
Of >^ of 18^ yards of silk, at y^ of $5 per yard. 
Of 126 pounds of beef at 91^ cents a pound. 
Of 36j^ tons of railroad iron at $j2^ per ton? 
When peaches are worth %\ per basket, what are 
126^ baskets worth? 



296 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

The product of two numbers is 588; one of them is 
12 times the other; what are the numbers? 

What is the largest multiple of both 3 and 5 that can 
be expressed by three figures? 

What is the smallest multiple of both 2 and 7 that 
can be expressed by three figures? 

What is the least number of which 3, 5 and 7 are 
factors? 

What is the least number of which 3, 4, 5,6 and 8 
are factors? 

Find the least number which, divided by 3, 7, 11 or 
13, will give a remainder of 2 in each case. 

A grocer has 42 oranges and 63 pears which he 
wishes to put into bags, each containing the largest 
number possible; how many can he put in each bag? 

What is the least sum with which the dealer can buy 
an exact number of hats at $3, $4, $5 or $6 each? 

What is the least number of acres in a farm that can 
be exactly divided into lots of 10 acres, 14 acres, 16 
acres and 20 acres each? 

What is the smallest quantity of grain that will fill an 
exact number of bins, whether they hold 36, 48, 80 or 
144 bushels? 

What is the length of the longest paving stone that 
can be used in exactly paving three walks 36, 48 and 
54 feet? 

What is the product of the L. C. M. of 12, 16, 24 
and 32, multiplied by their G. C. D. ? 

If a man dig 2^^^ rds. in 14 days, how much does he 
dig in I day? 

If ij^ bushels of oats cost $|-, what cost I bushel? 

If I of a farm cost $6270, what did the whole cost? 



Oiltline of Study for Intermediate Divisio. 297 

If |- of an acre of land cost %6'^, what cost i acre? 

If 54 horses cost $4622|-, what is the cost of each? 

If 12 plows cost $124^, what is the cost of each? 

How many pounds of tea, at $1^ per pound, can 
be bought for $I5>^? 

At $6^ a ton, how many tons of coal can be bought 
for $160? For $248? 

At %\\ a yard, how many yards of cloth can be 
bought for $9? For $24? For $64? 

At $1 a pound, how many pounds of butter will $1 10 
buy? 

If 2^ pounds of sugar cost $.33, what will be the 
cost of 65^ pounds? 

If y^ of a farm is valued at $1729^, what is the 
value of the farm? 

At %y^ a pound, how many pounds of coffee can be 
bought for $6>^? 

If from 183^ yards of cloth 2| yards are cut, what 
part of the whole is taken? 

If 7^ tons of hay cost $120, how many tons can be 
bought for $78? 

I gave 6^ pounds of butter, at 36 cents a pound, for 
3| gallons of oil. What was the oil worth a gallon? 

At $23 per acre, how much land will $17 buy? 

The dividend is -i|, the quotient |, what the divisor? 

How many yards of wall paper two feet wide, will 
be required for the two sides of a hall 72 feet long and 
14 high? 

What number subtracted from i^ will leave 65? 

Find the cost of 3920 bricks at $8.40 per M. 

What cost 2064 pounds of wheat at 75 cents per 
bushel? 



298 How to Grade atid Teach a Coiuttry School, 

Find the cost of a scantling 4 inches by 83^ inches, 
22 feet long, at $18 per M. 

How many posts 8 feet apart will it take to go 
around a quarter-section of land? 

From a lot 80 rds. square, I sold 80 square rods; 
what is the value of the remainder at $150 per acre? 

How many inches in 31^ rods? 

How many inches in a chain? 

How many yards in 24 chains? 

How many inches in 3 miles? 

Find the cost of 20 miles of telephone wire, at 35 
cents a pound, supposing i pound stretches 80 feet. 

How many square inches in a square yard? 

Find the cost of 15 yards of canvass at 15 cents a 
square foot. 

What cost a square mile of land at $4.25 an acre? 

How many hours in three weeks? 

How many pints of oil in a vessel containing 15 
gallons? 

How many quarts of strawberries in 12 pails, each 
containing y^ of a peck? 

How many sheets of paper in 3 reams? 

A merchant having 20 barrels of flour, sold y^ of it 
to A, and | of the remainder of it to B; how many 
barrels had he left? 

Think of a number, multiply by 12, divide by 3, 
multiply by 2, multiply by 4 divide by 4, and name the 
result. 

What cost 7 barrels of apples at the rate of $9 for 
21^ barrels? 

How many chestnuts must be given for 121^ cents, 
if 14 chestnuts cost 31^ cents? 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 299 

What cost 10 yards of ribbon, if 41^ yards cost 6| 
cents? 

If ^ of a pint of almonds cost W of a shilling, what 
cost 5| pints? 

If 2^ yards of silk cost $2.00, what cost 4 yards? 

What cost 3j pounds of sugar, if 2 i^ lbs. cost 25 cts. ? 

John found 60 cents, which is | of ^ of what he then 
had; how much did he have at first? 

If ^ of I of a yard of lace cost 8 cents, what will 
nine yards cost? 

4 times 50 years is 10 years less than 10 times the 
age of James. How old is James? 

If it require 4 lines of writing to make three lines of 
printing, and 29 lines equal i page of writing while 33 
equal i page of printing, how many pages of writing 
will it take to make 60 printed pages? 

If 6 is J^ of some number, what is ^ of 3 times the 
number? 

A man having V5 of a barrel of flour, bought ^^ of a 
barrel; how much had he then? 

Yg of B's money, increased by the difference between 
Vs and Y^ of his money, equal 190 dollars; required, 
his money. 

JANUARY. — DECIMAL FRACTIONS. 

Note. — The only point in decimal fractions is the 
decimal point. The other principles are the same as 
in simple numbers. 

1. Notation and numeration. Drill! Be thorough!! 

2. Location of the decimal point in addition and 
subtraction. 



3oo Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

3. Learn the rule verbatim for multiplication and 
division. 

4. Change a decimal fraction to a common fraction. 

5. Change a common fraction to a decimal fraction. 

6. Difference between a decimal and a common 
fraction. 

Pupils should write promissory notes at this stage; 
they should be able to make out bills and receipt them. 
A good exercise to test the pupil's ability to point 
correctly in decimals, is to pass the class to the board; 
have all arrange a given divisor and dividend in the 
form for division; thus: 

25)625( 
Pass quickly from one pupil to the other, and place 
the decimal point at as many different places as you 
may have pupils in the class. Ask all to solve and 
point quotient, giving reason for the same. 

The law of increase and decrease of the places from 
units may be nicely illustrated by this plan: 
1000. 
100. 
10. By careful explanation the pupil can be 

I. led to see that the law is uniform with 

. I that of whole numbers. 
.01 
.001 
How many letters will it take to write .008 in words? 
Write the smallest decimal that can be expressed by 
the figures o, 7, 5 and I. 

Write the smallest decimal that can be expressed by 
O, o, I, 2, 5, 3 and 9. 

Express 3^^ of one hundreth as a decimal. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 301 

How many tenths in 50 hundredths? 

How many thousandths in 2 units. 

Find the difference between the two smallest decimals 
that can be expressed by 9, 8 and 2. 

Find the difference between .05 and .025. 

How many cents are 2600 mills? How many dol'ars? 

How are thousandths changed to hundredths? Hun- 
dredths to tenths? Tenths to units? 

How are units changed to tenths? Tenths to hun- 
dredths? Hundredths to thousandths? 

Change .4 and .05 to thousandths; .07 and .01. 

What is the common denominator of .3 and .05? 

Change .05, .08, and .023 to equivalent decimals, 
having a common denominator of 1000. 

How many halves in ^^1 in .5? in yVo ^ ^^ foo^ 

How many cents in ^ dollar? how many hundredths? 

Find the sum of $2.5, $3, $6 and $7.5. 

Which is the greater, 30 c. or $.3? 

Add the following: 

(a.) .321; 4.005; 32.062; 5. 121; .005; 0006. 

(b.) Z2\ 2.05; .025; 3.2; .001; .0051; 3.215. 

(c.) 625; 300; .003; .625; 5.051; .5105; .256. 

(d.) 3.5; 21.06; 191.04; 312.005; .05; .006; 9. 

Find the difference between the numbers in these 
exercises: 32.05 — 9.005; i.i — .11; 11 — .0011; 925 — 
925. 

What is the difference between $.50 and $.25? 

What is the difference between $.50 and $.75? 

A farmer gave 20 sheep worth $65.50, 3 cows worth 
$100, and 2 tons of hay worth $28.75. ^o^ a horse, and 
afterwards sold the horse for $200; how much did he 
make or lose by his trades? 



302 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

What is the value of $5263.5 — $4236.40 + $278.80? 

How many 4ths in .25? Fifths in .20? 

How many 20ths in .60? In .80? 

Change the following to equivalent fractions in their 
lowest terms: .16; .125; .625. $.75; $.375; $.655; 
$.875; .024; .5625; .3125; .0008; .9375. 

Reduce to equivalent decimals: 
$1- Ire- ■ il- T2V II- 3- ^B* 



'5 •tt'4- ;}2()* 2 

Find the value of the following: 



31^X214: IOI/3 X 4V5 IOi<X2^ 25>^X2i^ 

4^x3K 3Kx S% i8>^x3K 32^4x375 

2 V'ft X 2% 1 2 1/3 X 2 Vo 1 575 X 2 1^ 45 M^ X I >4 

3>^x8i^ 181^x1014 231^x21^ 32V7X3>^ 

Find the cost of 4325 lbs. coal at $5.75 a ton. 

Of 6984 pounds of coal at $485 a ton 

Find the cost of 8463 feet of lumber at $27.35 P^r M. 

Find the cost of 945 pounds of pork at S6.48 per cwt. 

Find the cost of 6225 bricks at $8.25 per thousand. 

Find the cost of 3250 lath at 18^ c. per hundred. 

Divide .012261 by 2.01. 

Find three numbers less than 125 which are multiples 
of both 12 and 18. 

Find the least number of soldiers that can be divided 
into companies of 16, 30, 48, 56, or 72. 

A turkey weighing 9^ !bs. cost $1.33, what should 
one cost that weighs 14;^ ft)S? 

Three persons, B. C. and D., bought a city lot for 
$10,400, of which B. paid $3,200, C. $2,400, and D. 
$4,800. What part of the lot belongs to each? 

Find the price of each, if 125 bushels of oats cost 
$62.50. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 303 

If 35 fts. of su(^ar cost $2.80, what cost i Tb? 
If 396 fts. of sugar cost $44,748, what will I fc cost? 
Find the value of I.i2x5-f-i4. 
What will 24 table books cost at 12^ cents each? 
How many barrels at $.50 can be bought for $213? 
What the cost of 8 pounds of tea if i pound cost 
$.6?i4? 

At $.42 a pound, how much wool may be bought for 

$80,745? 

I bought 1,200 bushels of corn at $.561^ and sold 
375/4 bushels of it at $.60. At what price must the 
remainder be sold to gain $168,675 o" the whole? 

A barrel of beef which cost $18.75 is retailed at 12^ 
cents a pound. What is the profit? 

Find the total weight in pounds of: (a) 3 tons of hay 
and 2 tons of straw. Of 24 ounces of iron and 32 ounces 
of lead. A barrel of beef and a barrel of flour. A cental 
of oats and a bushel of corn. 3 bushels of wheat and4 
of barley. 

Practice on some good form for a note. The follow- 
ing will serve as models: 

$200. Bloomington, III., July I, 1885. 

Three years after date I promise to pay ... 

James L. Warren, or order, 

Two hundred ■ Dollars, 

at 8 % interest. Value received. 

Richard Rowe. 

$320.50. Decatur, 111., June 25, 1885. 

Thirty days after date, I promise to pay 

Charles D. Ward, or bearer, 

Three hundred twenty -^§^ Dollars, 

at Decatur National Bank. 

Value received, at 8 % interest. 

J. N. DONAHEY. 



304 How to Grade and Teach a Coimtry School. 

Explain the difference between the two notes. Have 
pupils to write out carefully these forms. If possible, 
secure some blank forms at the bank, of notes and 
checks; show these to pupils; explain them, and see 
that your pupils are able to fill them out properly. 

Is the maker of a note bound to pay if demand is 
not made on the day of maturity? 

Is a note written with lead pencil good? 

When is a note due if dated January 31 and made 
payable in one month? 

If a note falls due on Sunday, when is it legally due? 

Write a check to draw money from your own bank. 

Are the words "value received" necessary in a note? 

What is the difference between the words "with 
interest" and "with interest at 7 %" in the value of a 
note? 

If a note lacks the words "with interest," will it draw 
interest? If so, when? If not, why? 

Transaction. — Quincy, Illinois, August 5, 1884. 
R. W. Dewey gives A. Adams an order on W. Down- 
ing & Co. for $25, to be paid in goods from his store. 

Write the order. 

Adams gives Dewey a receipt. Write it. 

Transaction. — Chicago, Illinois, June i, 1884. J. 
V. Farwell borrows $4,500 from Marshall Field, and 
gives his note at ninety days in payment. 

Write this note. Make it payable to bearer. 

When will it be due? 

How many miles will a boy walk to plow 6 acres, 
turning a furrow of 9 inches? 

If a merchant sell Y^ of an article for -|- of its cost, 
what % does he gain? 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division 305 

What is the least number of even bushels of grain 
can be measured by a 3-quart, peck, or a 5-gallon 
measure? 

FEBRUARY. 

Review if thought best; if not necessary take up the 
October work for the Advanced Division. Do not 
neglect practical problems in lumber trade, in avoirdu- 
pois weight, etc. 

Turn to any or all problems not understood and have 
pupils solve and explain until the principle is fixed in 
the mind. If thorough work is done, the class should 
take up percentage, and push on to such point as the 
teacher's judgment may dictate. 

The examination for this month should be made up 
of practical problem?, closing with decimals. 

The teacher will use his judgment as to work for other 
months. 

PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC. 

We know of no better plan for securing good prob- 
lems than the following; try it: 

Statement. — This room is by by ■ 

feet. The lot is by rods. The door is 

rods from the stile. 

1. How many feet in compass is the room? 

2. How many feet of flooring in it? 

3. How many squares of plastering in it? No reduc- 
tions. Why? 

4. The compass multiplied by the height will produce 
what? Explain why the length multiplied by the width 
will produce square units. What is the unit of measure? 



3o6 How to Grade and leach a Country School. 

5. A crayon box is by by inches. 

How many will the room hold? How many crayons in 
a box? How many in the room? 

6. How much wheat will the room hold? 

7. What would the wheat be worth at 95 cents per 
bushel? 

8. Which is the heavier, corn or wheat? (By the 
bushel.) 

9. How many brick could you lay on the floor? 
How many would lie edgewise? How many stand on 
end? 

10. How many could you place in the room? What 
their value at $ per M? 

11. How many cubic yards of sand will the room 
hold? 

12. The walls of the room are inches in thick- 
ness. What area does the house occupy? 

13. What is meant by area? By linear measure? 

By dimension? By solidity? Is a volume of air 

by by feet a solid? 

14. The blackboard is by feet. How many 

square feet does it contain? Has area any depth? Why? 

15. How many square rods in the lot? How did you 
determine this? 

16. Posts are placed feet apart. How many are 

used to the panel? What is a panel? What are the 
dimensions of a fencing plank? The contents? 

17. How many posts are used in fencing the lot? 

18. The fence is five boards high. How much 
lumber in it? 

19. Make out and receipt bill for the lumber at $ ■ 

per M. 



Outline of Study for lutennediate Division. 307 

20. Write an order for the posts and lumber. 

21. The walk is feet wide. How much lumber 

in it? Sleepers are by by inches and 

lie "lengthwise. " 

22. How do nails run in number? Why these names? 
If there are ten nails to each post, how many are neces- 
sary to fence the lot? 

23. What is the present market value of nails (retail)? 

24. Give retail price of saw and hammer for building 
fence. Are other tools needed? If so, what? Give 
cost. 

25. Make out bill for above tools in favor of your 
teacher. Receipt if you can. 

26. What will be the probable cost of a pump for 
the well? Is it a lifting or a force pump? State differ- 
ence. 

27. The well is feet in depth and feet wide. 

How much earth has been removed? 

28. What is the greatest height that a lifting pump 
will convey water? Why? 

29. How many brick will wall the well? (Approxi- 
mate.) 

30. How many barrels of water will the well hold? 

31. Three farms contain 78, 102, and 114 acres 
respectively; what is the least number of fields, each 
containing the same number of acres, into which they 
can be divided? 

32. can walk up and down a certain street 

in 5 minutes. in 6 minutes, and in 8 

minutes; what is the shortest time they will have to 
walk in order to be together again at the starting point? 
(Ail starting at the same time.) 



3o8 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

33. What will i^ of 151^ cords of wood cost at 8^^ 
dollars per cord? Make out bill. 

34. How many brick will pave a 6x40 foot walk? 

35. A rigger has 3 pieces of rope, one 45, one 75, 
and one 105 yards long, which he desires to cut into 
the longest possible equal lengths; what must be the 
length of each piece? 

36. A real estate agent has 4 lots of ground contain- 
ing 1,920, 2,880, 3,840 and 4,800 square feet, respect- 
ively, which he desires to divide into the largest pos- 
sible building lots of the same size. What number of 
square feet will each lot contain? 

37. In a school building the grammar department 
contains 120 pupils, the intermediate department con- 
tains 160 pupils, and the primary department contains 
200 pupils. Into how many classes can each depart- 
ment be subdivided so as to have the greatest possible 
equal number in all the classes? 

38. I buy a coat for $121^, a hat for $2.62^, a pair 
of shoes for $854, a cane for $1 . 12 i^, and a collar for 
61^ cents; how much do they cost in all? 

39. If a man rides twice a day in a street car at 6y^ 
cents a trip, in how many days will his car fare amount 
to $10? 

40. What is the value of an acre of land at i 5 cents 
a square foot? 

41. What is the entire cost of 9 gross of pencils at 
37K cents per dozen, 18 dozen copy books at 15 cents 
apiece, and 25 primers at 12^ cents each? 

42. A bookseller exchanges 12 dozen books at $1.50 
each for others at 62^ cents each; how many of the 
latter does he receive? 



Oiitlme of Study for Intermediate Division. 309 

43. A man owned a tract of land containing 1,200 
acres; he gave to each of his 3 sons a farm of 339 acres, 
126 square rods; how much had he left? 

44. A miner had 6 ft). 9 oz. 4 pwt. of gold in one 
package, and 9 ft). 17 pwt. in another; what is the value 
of the whole, at 90 cents a pwt.? 

45. How many eagles can be coined from 13 oz. 8 
pwt. 8 gr. of gold of standard fineness, if one eagle 
weighs 10 pwt. 18 gr.? 

46. If 30 cars are required to carry 289 T. 6 cwt. 70 
ft>. of freight, what is the average load in each car? 

47. Make out and receipt a bill for the following 

items bought by , July 8, 1877, from , 3 

ft), coffee at 35 cts. per ft)., 3>4 *• mackerel, at 121^ 
cts. per ft^., 25 ft), flour at 43^ cts. per ft., 3 qt- kero- 
sene, at 17 cts. per qt., and \2\ ib. ham, at 16 cts. per ft). 

48. The longitude of Rome is 12 deg. 27 min. east, 
and Baltimore is in 'jG deg. 3 min. 39 sec. west longi- 
tude; what is the difference in time? 

49. When it is 12 o'clock, noon, at Boston, it is 44 
min. 14 sec. past 4 p. m. at Greenwich, England; what 
is the difference in longitude? 

50. y7^ of a saw mill was valued at $3,160.50; what 
was the whole value? 

51. Change 66y^ divided by lOO to a simple fraction 
in its lowest terms. 

52. Add lYi divided by 14^ and 5I divided by i5>^. 

53. Subtract I24| from the sum of 636 2-5 and io8j^. 

54. Multiply 754^8 ^y l^V\' 212^ by \6\. 

55. Divide 754i^8 ^^ ^^V^- ^^^^ ^^ ^^e- 

56. A merchant owning % of a vessel sold 2^ of his 
share for $4,000; what was the vessel worth at that rate? 



310 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

57. How much flour at $83^ per barrel, must be giveft 
in exchange for 250 tons of coal, at $4.12^ per ton? 

58. A owns 3-10 of a stock of goods, B owns 1-5, and 
C the rest; what part does C own? 

59. The sum of two numbers is 112 19-20, and the 
less number is 48 1-9; what is the greater? 

60. From a vat containing 2241^ gallons, 6 barrels 
were pumped out; how many gallons remained? 

61. Reduce the following fractions to their least com- 
mon denominator: |, |, |, ^^, -^^ and 2^- 

62. A merchant had 900 bags of coffee; he sold I of 
them at %i7^ per bag, and the remainder at $40 per 
bag; what did he receive for the lot? 

63. If a coal mine produces 30,000 tons of coal in ^ 
of a year, how much will it produce in the entire year at 
the same rate? 

64. A merchant employs an agent to collect bills 
amounting to $514.62. The agent retains J^ of the 
amount; how much does the merchant receive? 

65. How many cubic inches in a cistern holding 
3»874.75 gallons; a gallon containing 221 cubic inches? 

66. What will 30.35 square yards of land cost, at 
$5,625 per sq. yd. ? 

6^. If a horse can trot a mile in 2>]4, minutes, how 
many miles can he trot in 18.75 minutes? 

68. At the rate of 26.25 bu. to the acre, how many 
acres will it require to produce 144.375 t>u. ? 

69. Reduce 51.425 sq. yd. to sq. rd. 

70. Reduce |i| first to a decimal, and then to its 
lowest terms. 

71 What decimal part of 84 is 63? 

72. A farmer has a bin whose capacity is 64,512.6 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 311 

cu. in.; how many bushels of wheat will it hold, if one 
bushel contains 2150.42 cu. in.? 

73. How many rods in 302.445 yards? 

74. A merchant has 1936, and 75 hundredths dollars 
in one bank; 2450, and 5 hundredths dollars in another; 
and 616, and 25 hundredths dollars in a third He pays 
a note of $800.37; how much has he remaining in bank? 

75. If the fare from Philadelphia to Pittsburg is $91^:, 
what is the rate per mile, if the distance is 354-125 
miles? 

-j^. How many trees are there in \-^^ acres of wood- 
land, each tree occupying on an average 30.25 square 
yards? 

']']. What must be given for 9 ft). 6 oz. 17 pwt. of 
gold, at the rate of $.925 per pwt. ? 

78. The meter is equal to 39.37079 inches; how many 
meters in % of a mile? 

79. When $4.8665 is the value of a pound sterling, 
how many pounds sterling can be purchased for 1000 
dollars? 

80. A cubic foot of water weighs 62. 5 ft). ; what is the 
weight of the water in a hogshead containing 63 gallons? 

81. Bought a carriage for $250, and sold it for \l% of 
what it cost me; how much did I gain? 

82. Bought 6.25 reams of paper, at $3-75 per ream, 
and sold it for i cent a sheet; how much did I gain? 

83. If I pay $.0214; tax on each dollar, what do I pay 
on my house, which is valued at $2500? 

84. If it requires 12 buttons to trim a coat, how many 
coats can be trimmed with 5.5 gross? 

85. How many dresses, each coiitaiaing 18. 125 yards 
of muslin, can be made from 90^ yards? 



3 1 2 How to Grade and l^eacJi a Country School. 

86. The sum of two numbers is 127^ and the less 
number 49.12; what is the greater? 

'^'J . The product of two numbers is 5, and one of the 
numbers is .0025; what is the other? 

88. The divisor is .0025, the quotient is 2000; what 
is the dividend? 

89. A miller has a bin, the capacity of which 128 cu. 
ft,; if the bin is filled with wheat, what is its value, at 
$1. 12J per bushel? 

90. A 15-acre field yielded 26.25 tons of hay the first 
year, and 13.125 tons the second year; what was the 
average yield per acre for both years? 

91. There are three piles of wood, containing 219.25 
cords, 83.5 cords, 172.25 cords respectively; in how 
many loads can it be hauled, if each load is ^ of a cord? 

92. The sum of three numbers is 125, and two of the 
numbers are 11^ and 76.1; what is the other? 

93. If the S. E. 14; of section 16 be sold at $50 per 
acre, what its value? 

94. If the S. W. y^ of the S. W. y^ yield oats at the 
rate of 40 bu. to the acre, how much should the whole 
section yield at this rate? 

95. How many steps of three feet each in walking 
around a section? 

96. A lot of 42 hogs average 250 ft>. each; what their 
value at $3.75 per cwt. ? 

97. If a cow eat \\ tons of hay in a given time, what 
the value of hay at $7.25 per ton, for 15 cows, same time? 

98. How many cubic yards of excavation in a cellar 
12x16x6 ft.? 

99. How many yards of paper will cover the walls of 
a room 16 by 24 by 8 ft.? (Paper z/^ yd. wide.) 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 313 

100. What is the value of 8 tons of coal at one mill 
per ft).? 

The above list of one hundred problems will serve to 
illustrate the character of examples to be supplied by 
the teacher, from day to day. 

Take cardboard or foolscap paper, cut it into imagi- 
nary lots (land) of different shapes; place dimensions on 
the several sides, distribute to class for solution. 

Apply same suggestion to the different parts of the 
house, requiring cost of plastering, roofing, etc. Total 
footings to equal cost of house. 

LANGUAGE. 

Books. — Text in hands of Fourth Reader. 

Object. — To prepare pupils for the grammar course 
in the Fifth Reader Division, and to teach them how to 
write correctly. 

Time. — One to two years. 

Owing to the fact that no good division of work for 
the school year will be uniform with the limits of the 
several authors, none is attempted here. Authors are 
not agreed as to the treatment of the text, and all do 
not grade their lessons upon the same principles; hence 
it is impossible to outline a definite course for this 
department. 

The best plan will be for the County Superintendent 
to fix the limits of his examination to a given topic, or 
page in the book adopted. It no book is in general 
use, then there should be a distinct understanding as to 
the book to be used for the county. This will save the 
trouble of making many sets o\ examination questions 
for the several schools. It will make the work uniform, 



314 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

and prevent the mixing of texts by those who remove 
from district to district; it is certainly economy to do 
so at once. 

If the county is not under supervision, the next best 
thing will be to enlist the united action of the schools 
of a township upon this subject; by mutual agreement, 
a township may inaugurate a plan of work, that may 
reach the whole county. 

If this cannot be done, as a last resort, the teacher 
should have independence enough about him, to attempt 
the organization of a class in language. Should cir- 
cumstances be such that he cannot accomplish this, let 
him purchase a modern text on language, and let him 
start an oral class in this subject with the text as a 
guide. By all means teach the pupils how to speak 
and write. 

The teacher should use some well graded text as a 
guide in the primary division. This should be done in 
order to avoid giving pupils work beyond their capaci- 
ties, or in irregular order. Some little book adopted 
as the outline for the city schools is best, and will offer 
more valuable suggestions than the teacher's profes- 
sional library. 

EXAMINATIONS IN LANGUAGE. 

Examinations should be held in this division of gram- 
mar work, as in all other grades. They should be furn- 
ished by the county superintendent, provided the 
county is subject to his supervision; in States having 
County Examining Boards, the same plan can be 
carried out. 

In counties having no supervision, a committee might 



Outline of Study foi' tiiteVntediate Division. 315 

prepare the examinations, and in the case of a township 
mentioned above, a committee could readily do this 
work; if this falls upon the teacher alone, he should 
have regular examinations of his own. 



LANGUAGE HELPS. 



Suppose you have this picture in the reader, or some 
other book; from this you may have such a lesson as 
the following for the Second and Third Reader classes: 




Enough work is here given for several lessons. 
I. Write the names of the following objects in a 
column: 

Of what the girl has on her head. 

Of what she has in her hand. 

Of what she has upon her right arm. 

Of what she has under her left arm. 

Of what she has upon her right foot. 

Of what the little boy has in his right hand. 

Of what the large boy has in his left hand. 

Of what he has upon his shoulder. 

Of what he has fastened to this. 

Of what is near his foot. 



a. 
b. 
c. 
d. 
e. 
f. 

g. 
h. 



J- 



3i6 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

k. Of what grows upon the rock. 

1. Of the house. 

m. Of what the boy is looking at. 

n. Of what the boy has in his basket. 

o. Of what he has in his right hand. 

p. Of the place where they are going. 

q. Of that which is seen farthest in the distance. 

2. In a second column write these names so as to 
denote more than one. 

3. Build a sentence for each question, thus: 
The girl has a hat upon her head. 

She has a basket in her right hand. 

The boy's hand is upon her arm. 

She has a book under her left arm. 

Continue this through the list. 

Inspect the slates carefully. Go slowly and pleas- 
antly; talk of the pictures until they are understood, 
then have the writing done. 

4. Have pupils write statements containing these 
names in the plural number; thus: 

She has baskets in her right hand. 
The boy's hands are upon her arm. 
She has books under her left arm. 
Continue this through the list. 

5. Write statements in answering the following 
questions: 

How old do you think the little boy is? 
Where are they going? 

Which is the taller, the boy with the book and basket, 
or the boy at the door? 

What has the girl upon her feet? 
Is it summer or winter? 
What is the name over the door? 
What do you see in the sky? 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 317 



Continue at pleasure. Inspect the slates carefully. 
See that the period is used. 

6. Erase the questions from the board and require 
the children to change their statements to questions, 
using the proper mark. 

7. When the work is well done have pupils write a 
story about the children getting to the school before 
the door was opened. 

8. Have them write a story about the girl and the two 
little boys being tardy. Have them name the children 
and write a story about gathering nuts or some fruits. 

Show the children about paragraphing their stories; 
the use of capital letters; punctuation. 

9. Make up lists of adjectives applicable to the names 

found, and have pupils so use them, thus: 

new old — large small • 

^yhite rough black smooth 



wooden plowed 



blue 



leather 

10. Rewrite the same thing upon your slates, using 
a or the as seems appropriate. 
Teacher will inspect with care. 

fBoy. 
Girl. 
Book. 
Shoe. 
Basket. 
Hat. 

II. Write something about a^ School. 

Rock. 
Coat. 
Bush. 
Door. 
Hand. 
Hill. 



3 1 8 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



By a little reflection the teacher may save board space 
by some such forms as the above. 

12. Change each statement to a question. 

13. Complete the sentence: — 

A boy 
A girl 
A book 
A shoe 
The basket 
The hat 
A school 
The rock 
A coat 
The bush 
A door 
The hand 

14. Complete same by writing the name so as to 
mean more than one. 

The above is sufficient to indicate what may be done 
in this direction; of course the teacher can carry this 
forward until he completes the composition; after suffi- 
cient preparation close with the complete composition, 
which fill for reference. 

^ Subject of picture. 
Location of school. 
Time of year. 
Time of day. 
Children not tardy. 

C Timid brother. 



"Going to 
School." 



First group, 



Second group. 
Third group. 



. Classmate. 
( Kind sister. 
( Brother. 
\ Sister. 

Brother. 

Sister. 



Surrounding objects. 
Love for the school, 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 319 



(rM^^p/I^^^^''^>i 




Treat the above picture in a similar manner to the 
preceding, finally closing with the composition. 

Such a picture can be used in any of the classes and 
is quite appropriate for the Fourth Reader class or the 
Intermediate Division. 

Where can I secure such pictures? the teacher asks. 

From specimen pages of school readers, from the 
pupil's books, from tourist's guides, from geographies, 
from histories and from numerous sources. 



320 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country Schoot. 

These pictures may be pasted upon cardboard, and 
will serve for the purpose intended for many terms. 

In the language work of the Primary Division, the 
pupil has learned to use correctly the singular and plural 
forms of the words in the given lists; also, o( is 2,nd are, 
and other similar verbs, together with the use of this 
and that, these and those, etc. He has also learned to 
use capitals in writing the names of persons, of places, 
of days, of zveeks, of months, I and O, and to place a 
period at the end of every telling or commanding sen- 
tence, a question mark after every asking sentence, etc. 

A careful review of all this will prepare him for the 
succeeding work. 

I. 

The teacher walks across the floor. 

"What am I doing?" 

"You are walking." 

Teacher (walking slowly): "How am I walking?" 

Most of the pupils will say: "You are walking slow." 

Obtain the correct answer, then ask, "What kind of 
walking is this?" "That is slow walking. " "How am 
I walking?" "You are walking slowly." 

Contrast as strongly as possible the correct use of the 
adjective and adverb in a similar manner. Have the 
pupils perform actions, telling what kind of actions and 
how performed. 

Make use of actions using the following words: 
bold boldly sweet sweetly 

bright brightly beautiful beautifully 

neat neatly careful carefully 



Outline of Study for Interuicdiate Division, 32 

nice nicely graceful gracefully 

quick quickly diligent diligently 

quiet quietly rapid rapidly 

soft softly studious studiously 

sharp sharply terrible terribly 

smooth smoothly handsome handsomely 

slow slowly wicked wickedly 

Fill each blank with the proper word: 

1. A monkey is a animal. 

2. The monkey acts . 

3. The sun shines . 

4. These flowers smell . 



5. The freight train moves . 

6. An boy learns his lesson , 

7. The squirrel is a animal. 

8. The squirrel m.oves . 

9. He is an honest man. 

10. Did you notice how he walked? 

11. The bird sings . 

12. The horse ran away. 

13. How that man works! 

14. The rabbit ran . 

15. He speaks — — . 

16. The book is torn. 

17. The man ran across the field. 

18. The ox walks but the horse 



The teacher will continue these suggestions, writing 
lists of words from the vocabularies given until the pupil 
can use correctly in both oral and written sentences all 
the common derivatives ending in ly. 



322 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

II. 

Let Mary stand. Ask class who is standing. Mary 
is standing. Ask Mary. "I am standing." I>et Emma 
and Mary stand. Ask Mary who are standing? "Emma 
and I are standing." Ask Emma. "Mary and I are 
standing. " Repeat the same with Charles and Frank. 
Succeed, in this way, in bringing out: 

I am standing. 

Mary and I are standing. 

Frank, Lucy and I are standing. 

You, Claude and I are standing. 

You, James and Joseph are standing. 

They and I are standing. 

You, they and I are standing. 

You are standing. 

He is standing. 

She is standing. 

It is standing. 

He and she are standing. 

He, she and it are standing, etc. 

Bring out also the use of or and nor; as. He or I will 
stand! "Neither he nor I am standing." 

Use also in connection with is and are. In the same 
manner, ask ''who is it that is standing," and bring out 
"It is I who am standing," etc. 

III. 

Let John get his hat, and hold it in his hand before 
the class. 

What does John do? He holds his hat. Let him 

put it away. What did John do? He held his hat. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 323 

Let George have a stick. If you want two pieces of 
that stick, what must you do? Break it. 

George breaks the stick. 

"What did he do?" "Broke it." 

"Tell me so." George broke the stick. 

Teacher holds up the two pieces. "What has George 
done with this stick?" "Broke it." "Tell me so." 

"George has broke the stick." 

"That does not sound right." 

Proceed in this way until you succeed in getting the 
correct answer. Have pupils repeat break, broke, 
broken, very distinctly, and write the words on the 
board. Then ask questions similar to these: 

How many ever broke anything, and when? 

How many have ever broken anything? 

What had George done to this stick when I showed 
you two pieces? 

Did George break the stick? 

Yes, George broke the stick. 

Did Mary break the dish? 

In this way a long list of questions may be written 
on the board, requiring pupils to write the answers on 
their slates. Be very sure to look over all the written 
work, and notice every mistake. Do but little at a 
time and that thoroughly. 

The following form will be suggestive of what can be 
done in giving the correct use of verbs in their different 
forms. The teacher can expand this to suit his pleas- 
ure. It may be used with good results: 
What do I? What did I? What have I done? 

I break I broke I have broken 

I bite I bit I have bitten 



324 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



I bring 


I brought 




I have brought 


I begin 


I began 




I have begun 


I blow 


I blew 




I have blown 


I buy 


I bought 




I have bought 


I come 


I came 




I have come 


I catch 


I caught 




I have caught 


I choose 


I chose 




I have chosen 


I cut 


I cut 




I have cut 


I drink 


I drank 




I have drunk 


I draw 


I drew 




I have drawn 


I do 


I did 




I have done 


I drive 


I drove 




I have driven 


I eat 


I ate 




I have eaten 


I fly 


I flew 




I have flown 


I forget 


I forgot 




I have forgotten 


I feed 


I fed 




I have fed 


I fall 


I fell 




I have fallen 


I give 


I gave 




I have given 


I go 


I went 




I have gone 


I grow 


I grew 




I have grown 


I hang 


I hung (?) 




I have hung (?) 


I hide 


I hid 




I have hidden. 


Teach in 


this way the correct forms of: 


bind 


stand 


take 


begin 


bleed 


shake 


tear 


bend 


build 


see 


think 


blow 


burst 


strike 


thro\\ 


choose 


dig 


say 


teach 


creep 


feel 


sit 


tell 


do 


fall 


sell 


cleave draw 


fight 


send 


tread 


eat 


grind 


set 


drive 


feed 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 325 



hold 


shine 


strive 


find 


hurt 


shoe 


bite 


fly 


hear 


short 


hide 


forget 


keep 


show 


slide 


freeze 


kneel 


shrink 


shake 


get 


hit 


shut 


come 


give 


know 


sink 


catch 


go 


leave 


slay 


buy 


grow 


lose 


spring 


bring 


hide 


lie (to recline) stay 


seek 


lend 


lead 


stick 


write 


lose 


meet 


string 


wear 


mean 


make 


swear 


weep 


mow 


read 


swim 


wet 


prove 


pay 


sing 


win 


weave 


ride 


sleep 


wind 


wring 


rise 


speak 


wing 




run 


slide 


swing 




ring 


steal 






Make 


simple sentences 


by placing the 


name of the 


proper animal before each 


verb in this list: 


i — 


bark 


cluck 


hum 


quack 


bay 


chatter 


howl 


roar 


bleat 


cackle 


hiss 


sing 


bray 


chirp 


hoot 


snarl 


buz? 


drone 


low 


screech 


baa 


drum 


moo 


squeal 


crow 


gobble 


moan 


squeak 


caw 


gabble 


mew 


scream 


coo 


grunt 


pipe 


twitter 


croak 


growl 


purr 


whistle 


bellow 


whinny 


neigh 


yelp 



326 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 
Name something that each of the following does:- 



Bees 


Eagles 


Geese 


Sheep 


Bears 


Birds 


Girls 


Snakes 


Boys 


Flies 


Goats 


Swallows 


Bulls 


Frogs 


Monkeys 


Thrushes 


Cats 


Fowls 


Owls 


Toads 


Cows 


Hens 


Oxen 


Sparrows 


Chickens 


Horses 


Parrots 


Wolves 


Children 


Hogs 


Pigs 


Wrens 


Dogs 


Lambs 


Peacocks 


Rabbits 


Doves 


Lions 


Robins 


Quails 


Ducks 


Mice 


Larks 


Squirrels 



Practice on the correct spelling of such expressions 
as John's hat, the boy's book, etc., until there shall be 
no longer need to do so. Do this with both singular 
and plural nouns. 

Select a short easy story, let the bravest pupil get up 
and read it before the class, then close the book, and 
repeat what he remembers of it. Let class give what 
he fails to remember. In short time have this written. 

Letter writing should be taught at this time. A 
child's letter is, of course, a very simple affair, but it 
may be correct in form, and the sentences correctly 
arranged. 

Have pupils to practice on the plurals of the follow- 
ing words until they are thoroughly learned: 

face — faces. nose — noses, 

fish — fishes. rose — roses. 

dish — dishes. mass — masses, 

stage — stages. ' vase — vases. 

Add other words to these until pupils know the 
words having es in the plural. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 327 



Lead the 


pupils to see 


the reason for the following: 


lady 


ladies 


toy 


toys 


army 


armies 


boy 


boys 


lily 


lilies 


monkey 


monkeys 


baby 


babies 


chimney 


chimneys 


pony 


ponies 


key 


keys 


sixty 


sixties 


valley 


valleys 


glory 


glories 


essay 


essays 


Continuing the list at 


pleasure, add 


also the foUoW' 


ing, in the 


same way: 






calf 


calves 


bluff 


bluffs 


elf 


elves 


cuff 


cuffs 


half 


halves 


chief 


chiefs 


knife 


knives 


dwarf 


dwarfs 


leaf 


leaves 


fife 


fifes 


loaf 


loaves 


hoof 


hoofs 


life 


lives 


grief 


griefs 


shelf 


shelves 


muff 


muffs 


staff 


staves 


staff 


staffs 


self 


selves 


strife 


strifes 


sheaf 


sheaves 


proof 


proofs 


wharf 


wharves 


wharf 


wharfs 


buffalo 


buffaloes 


alto 


altos 


cargo 


cargoes 


cuckoo 


cuckoos 


calico 


calicoes 


canto 


cantos 


echo 


echoes 


domino 


dominos 


hero 


heroes 


embryo 


embryos 


mosquito 


mosquitoes halo 


halos 


motto 


mottoes 


octavo 


octavos 


negro 


negroes 


piano 


pianos 


potato 


potatoes 


solo 


solos 



328 Hoiv to Grade and. Teach a Country School, 



tornado 


tornadoes 


two 




twos 


torpedo 


torpedoes 


trio 




trios 


volcano 


volcanoes 


zero 




zeros 


The following nouns 


have only 


th( 


t plural forms. 


Use them 


in sentences u 


ntil the pupil 


s b 


ecome perfectly 


familiar w; 


ith them: 








ashes 


nippers 


scissors 




victuals 


bellows 


measles 


shears 




trowsers 


clothes 


pincers 


snuffers 




thanks 


eaves 


goods 


tidings 




tongs 


mumps 


riches 


vespers 




billiards 



The teacher in all of the work will teach the correct 
use of punctuation, by having the pupils punctuate 
correctly. Learn but few rules, but put all you learn, 
and more, into practice daily. 

In letter forms be very explicit. Have pupils prac- 
tice a great deal on the proper headings, introductions, 
body, closing terms and signature. Teach them neat- 
ness. Give a number of forms illustrating these differ- 
ent parts. Write a model letter. 

Decatur, Illinois, 

June J, 188^. 
Mrs. Helen Read, 

Washtenaw, Michigan, 

Dear Madam:— Your letter- inquiring 
the whereabouts of your beloved boy, James, is at ha7td. 
He is at present employed in the zvagoii manufactory 
here. He seems to be doing zvell. He comes to our office 
often. I have shown him your letter and asked him to 
IV rite to you. 

Very truly, 

L. L. Hay worth. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 329 



Chicago y Illinois, 

June I, 188^. 
My Dear Mother: 



Your dutiful son, 

James. 



My Dear Friend: 



New Orleans, Louisiana, 

December 24., 1884. 

Yours truly, 

Joseph Trenchard. 



81 J Chestnut Street, 
Philadelphia, May 10, 1883- 



Messrs. D. Lothrop & Co., 

Franklin & Haw ley Sts., 

Boston, Mass. 
Gentlemen : — 



Very Truly, 

Robert Coleman. 



Select the names of relatives, strangers, merchants, 
publishers, etc., and write letters to them. 

Proceed slowly and carefully in the composition work 
for the beginners in this Division. It is believed that 
if the work in language has been faithfully performed, 
the. writing of compositions will present no more diffi- 
culty to the pupil than the recitation or study of a 
lesson in reading or any other branch. Before begin- 



330 How to Grade and Teach a Countiy School. 

ning the written composition on any subject, the teacher 
should give one or more oral lessons, bringing out all 
the points to be written about. Then, and not till then, 
allow the pupil to write upon the subject. Select some 
picture for composition; thus, from a well known 
picture we may arrange such a composition as the 
following: 

Exercise in Composition. — Combine each group 
of sentences so as to form one sentence; then unite the 
whole to form a continuous narrative. 

1. A hunter was on his way home. 
He was crossing a field. 

He saw a large lion. 

The lion was close by, watching him. 

2. The hunter exhausted his supply of bullets. 
He knew he could not escape by running. 
He looked about for a safe hiding-place. 

3. The field was bare. 

It offered no protecting retreat. 
But one chance remained. 
The hunter saw this. 
It was that of deceiving the lion. 

4. He crept along the ledge of a high cliff. 
He hid himself behind a large rock. 

5. He then took off his hat and coat. 
He fixed them on his gun. 

He made them look like a man. 

6. The hunter saw the lion approaching. 
He held the mock-man above the rock. 

7. The lion made a spring. 

He sprang at what he supposed to be a man. 
He leaped over the cliff. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 331 

He was killed on the rocks below. 

8. The hunter descended. 

He recovered his hat and coat. 

He found his p^un shattered to pieces. 

9. He looked at the lifeless form of the lion. 

He was filled with thankfulness for his own de- 
liverance. 

This should be continued until pupil can write a clear 
and correct sentence from a number of sentences as 
above. 

The teacher should keep some good blackboard form 
in view, in all of his work, and especially so in Letter 
Writing in the Language work. The following order 
should be followed in letter writing: 

r 



The parts of a letter are 



MODEL LETTER. 

Decatur y Illinois, 

July /, 1883, 
Mr. A. P. Vale, 

Vales Mills, O. 

Sir: — Enclosed please find $12,30, balance 
due on printing press, zvhich arrived safe on Monday 
last. Very truly, 

E, A. Gastman. 



I. 


the heading. 


2. 


the address. 


3. 


the salutation. 


4. 


the body. 


5. 


^, C Closing term. 
Close. < c u • .-• 

( Subscription. 



332 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

rp, u J- ( Decatur, Illinois, 
Ihe heading. \ ^ / oo 

^ X July 7, 1885. 

The Address S ^^''- ^- ^- ^^^^'' 
Ihe Address. ^ Valets Mills, O. 

Salutation — Sir. 

Body of letter — Statement which follows after ''Sir.'* 

Closing term — " Very truly. " 

Subscription — E. A. Gastman. 

What does the heading of a letter show? 

The heading shows where and when it was written, as: 

St. Louis, Missouri, 

July /, 1885. 

What does the address of a letter show? 
The address shows to whom it is written, and to 
whom it should be sent; thus: 

Mr. Samuel Trainer, 

Wilkesville, 

Ohio. 

What is the superscription of a letter? 

The address when written on the envelope is called 
the superscription. 

What is the close of a letter? 

The words of esteem and the subscription. 

What is the subscription? 

The name of the writer. 

The name signed by the writer is called the signature. 

What is the salutation of a letter? 

The greeting is called the salutation; as. My Dear 
Mother; My Dear Friend; Sir; etc. 

What is the body of a letter? 

All between the salutation and close. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 333 

Observe the following points in all letter- writing, viz: 

1. There should be something on every letter to 
show, — 

(a.) To whom the letter is written, and to what 
place it should be sent. 

(b.) By whom it has been written and to what place 
the answer is to be sent, or the letter returned. 

2. The heading, signature, address, and superscrip- 
tion of a letter must be very plainly written. 

Let the pupil copy letters which are correct models. 

The teacher in giving instruction in this, as in all of 
the written work, will give the pupil full instruction in 
regard to using capitals, punctuation marks, paragraph- 
ing, spacing, etc. Do not attempt too much at any 
one time, but be sure to give the pupil correct forms 
and insist on careful work in what you do. 

The pupil should be taught the abbreviations in com- 
mon use; such as those of the months, the states, 
county, etc. 

THE HEADING OF A LETTER. 

fi. Where the letter 

I. The Heading Should Show: J '''''' written. 

I 2. lo whom It was 
L written. 

The heading is not always vvritten on one line; some- 
times two are used. 

Grovesville, Huron County, Ohio, July i, 1885. 
This may be written: 

Grovesville, Huron County, Ohio, 
July I, 1885. 



334 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Either form is correct. 

If the place from which the letter is written is not 
very large or well known, the name of the place, county 
and state should be given; thus: 

Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio, 
June 22, 1885. 

If the answer is to be sent to the same place as the 
address, the heading should give the full address. 
However, the practice of writing the full address after 
the subscription is fast gaining favor. 

A comma should be placed after every item of the 
heading, excepting the last, where a period should be 
placed. 

Notes. — i. Do not leave out any necessary item of 
heading. 

2. Punctuate the heading correctly. 

3. Write very plainly. 

ADDRESS OF A LETTER. 

These abbreviations of titles are mostly used, viz: 
Mr., Dr., Prof., Sr., P. M., Mrs., Capt., Esq., M. 
D., Jr., Sen., Agt. , Hon., Messrs. 

Do not use Mr. and Esq, at the same time in writing 
an address. Observe the same in regard to Dr. and 
M. D. 

The address of a letter should show: 

I. The title and name of a person or firm. 

The number of house and name of street, or 
The name of the place. 
The name of the city. 
The name of the county. 

4. The narqe of the state. 



Outline of Study for Tntenncdiate Divisioti 335 

SALUTATION. 

The greeting is called the salutation, and is the first 
thing in the body of the letter; thus: 

Chicago, III., June (p, 188^. 
Messrs. Perry Mason df Co., 

y/ Temple Place, Bostoji, 
Sirs; — 

FORMS OF GREETING. 

1. To a strange gentleman or gentlemen: Sir, My 
Dear Sir, Sirs, Gentlemen, Dear Sirs. 

2. To a strange lady: Madam, Dear Madam, Miss 
Curtis. 

3. To a friend or relative: My Dear Friend, Dear 
Father, Dear Miss Roberts, Dear Cousin. 

The salutation should be written on the line below 
the last item of the address. 

Great care should be exercised in writing the body of 
the letter. Attention should be given to proper para- 
graphing, punctuation, capitalization, etc. 

CLOSING WORDS. 

The closing words should not be more familiar than 
the title, should always be respectful, and written with 
great care. 

The signature should be written very plainly and 
should be followed by the complete address of the 
writer, if not given in the heading. 

The address should also be written at the close if not 
written in its proper place imniediately after the head- 
ing. 



336 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Coiititry School. 
EXAMPLES: 

1. Very truly yours,' 

George R. Bancroft, 
84.5 North Mercer St., Boston. 

Mr. James Julian, 
No. 4.8 Sixth St., 
Baltiinore, Md. 

2. With great respect, 

John Bear. 

Your sincere friend, 

Jessie Nolan. 

A lady in writing to strangers, should always prefix 
Miss or Mrs. to her name 

In writing to others about matters of more importance 
to you than to the person to whom you write, always 
enclose a stamp or postal card. 

1. Why is there no period after Miss? 

2. What should the heading of a letter include? 

3. What abbreviations are equivalent to Dr. and Mr.? 

4. Where should the stamp be placed? Show this by 
drawing. 

5. Write upon the drawing, correctly, a superscrip- 
tion. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 337 



MODEL. 



STAMP. 



"Q^lu. a<Sf^eA 



^(^um^^'j^i (Qeun/^- 



en?n€m, 



aciw, 



entuC', 



STAMP. 



(Qj^€ddU (^^iX'^Aei um/^Dic 



Ui€/lMii, 






338 How to Gj^ade and Teach a Country School, 

1. What should the heading of a letter show? 

2. Where, on a sheet of paper, should the heading 
be placed? 

3. Why should it be written very plainly? 

4. What is the address called when written on the 
envelope? 

5. Why should the address be written on the letter 
as well as on the envelope? 

6. Draw a picture of an envelope showing the super- 
scription and where the stamp should be placed. 

7. What is a title? 

8. Write the abbreviations of the more common titles. 

9. Of what use is the heading of a letter? the 
address? 

10. What does the word subscribe mean? 

I I. Write the abbreviations of the days of the week. 
Of the months. . Of the States. 

12. Write a letter to your cousin Robert giving: 

1. The heading. 

2. The address. 

3. The salutation. 

4. The body — (a) asking the loan of a book. 

5. The closing term and signature. 

13. Draw a diagram of the envelope, containing 
superscription and stamp. 

Have pupils practice on promissory notes, bills, 
receipts, invitations, regrets, etc. 

UNITED STATES HISTORY. 

All persons who have taught for some terms in the 
country districts are fully aware of these two facts: that, 
to begin the study of United States history in the 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 339 

heavy texts usually found in the schools, is to under- 
take a task which usually discourages the pupil ere he 
completes it, unless he is under the direction of a com- 
petent teacher; the members of the Intermediate Divi- 
sion not having sufficient employment to keep them 
busy, are inclined to give the teacher more or less 
trouble in the matter of discipline. These being the 
facts in the case, there is an actual necessity for the use 
of some primary history in this division. 

In counties having uniformity of outlines it is well to 
secure the adoption of some good text in this division, 
and require all members of the Fourth Reader class to 
take up the study of U. S. history. 

Since different authors are used we give the limits by 
topics; this accommodates all for the purpose of exam- 
inations. 

October to the study of the Southern States. 

November to the battle of Lexington. 

December to Madison's administration. 

January to Polk's administration. 

February to War of Secession. 

Other months at the discretion of the teacher. 

Notes. — The teacher should make out neat outlines of 
the daily lesson and have pupils study topically from 
these. 

Anecdotes should be told in connection with the 
lesson; those having something strikingly curious are 
best to relate, as they have a tendency to fix some fact 
connected with the history of the subject under con- 
sideration. 

Causes and results should be fixed upon the memory 
as they lead the pupil to look for definite historical events. 



340 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Biography affords an endless field for collateral read- 
ing and should be encouraged at all times. 

Pupils should note all curious facts connected with 
their lessons, no matter where found. 

Find some singular question for the pupils to answer 
each day; this will stimulate research. 

Take a column of names and require pupils to briefly 
tell something of each in sucession. 

Have the leading historical personages personated at 
different times. By this we mean, to have a pupil study 
a single person for some days until he can rise in class 
and recite the main facts in his life, giving the story in 
the first person. 

Have poems read before the class giving some histori- 
cal allusion. 

Have pupils represent the generals of a campaign 
and require each to explain his movements. 

Have pupils select their favorite characters and tell 
why they admire them. 

Have written abstracts of certain lessons. 

Have the class to write the history of a certain topic 
by assigning sub-topics to its members, and by placing 
these together when completed, filing all for reference 
as a history of that division of the book. 

Repeat important events frequently. 

Encourage pupils to ask questions of each other. 

Encourage much collateral reading. 

Make a memoranda of important current events. 
Discuss all important current history. 

Search for rare historical documents, and coins of 
"ye olden time, " 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division, 34 1 

Pind facsimiles of coins and historical papers, and 
exhibit them to the class with appropriate allusions. 

Have a written sketch of each pupil's life to date; 
file these as a memento of your school work. 

Select special topics for special review, and research. 

Discuss the inauguration of a president and his re- 
ception by congress. 

Discuss the manner of voting for president of the 
United States. 

Discuss the manner of choosing seats in congress. 

Teacher will continue this at pleasure. By all means 
have one year's work in history before taking the larger 
book. This will make the study of this subject a 
pleasure. 

PENMANSHIP. 

Many teachers in the Rural schools are neglectful of 
their duty when it comes to penmanship; to a great 
extent it has become customary to permit other recita- 
tions to crowd out and take the place of this branch; 
this is wrong. Penmanship should have a place in the 
programme, and should have its due proportion with 
the other branches. In counties having systematic 
examinations, this state of affairs cannot long exist, as 
the demand for definite acquirements will test the 
instructor's ability to teach penmanship. 

OCTOBER. 

Begin at once with the three principles; 



■^d. 



Straight Line. Right Curve. Left Curve. 

show the children how to make them; have them to 



342 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

recognize them in several letters. Begin with i and 
study the formation and analysis of each of the short 
letters; thus, i is one space in height and one-half 
space in width; the analysis is as follows:" "2nd, ist, 
2nd, dot." Continue this until the short letters are 
studied; write them upon the board and they will 
appear thus: 

Have a margin of the board ruled, and filled with the 
lower case letters in your best hand. Place the nine 
digits in such ruling and practice upon one each day in 
connection with writing exercise. They will appear 
thus: 

Have concert analysis of each letter as follows: i, 
one space in height, one-half in width; 2nd, ist, 2nd, 
dot. In some manner analyze each letter in turn, thus: 
u one space in height, one in width; 2nd, ist, 2nd. 
1st, 2nd; or double i without dots. 

It is well to practice upon a single line during the 
whole month. The line should be short and such as 
will contain several of the letters learned during the 
month. "Mamma, come and see," is very good for 
first month. 

Have all practice upon the usual form for dating a 
letter, thus: 

Wilkesville, Ohioy 

July 26, 1885. 

Permit all to use the pen when this can be secured. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 343 

It is customary to prohibit the use of the pen in the 
Primary Division, but there are advocates for its use in 
the First Reader. 

Devise some systematic plan for collecting copy 
books. In rural schools the teacher can usually do this 
to the best advantage. They should be distributed in 
a reverse order from their collection. 

A is the only letter shaded in preceding group. 

NOVEMBER. 

Study the formation and analysis of t, d, p, and q, 
and combine these with the short letters. 

Consider each letter separately as in the short letters. 
Call attention to similarity of forms, and composition; 
thus, t is simply i extended to two spaces in height, 
and having a cross one space in length, two-thirds of 
its length from the base line, etc. The blackboard 
should appear thus, when this group is completed. 




Practice each letter until the form is well executed. 

Select a line for practice. 

Call this group the semi-extended letters. Use only 
the three principles. Review the short letters; practice 
and study the capital letters containing the capital O. 
(O, C, D, E, G.) 

DECEMBER. 

Study the formation and analysis of 1, b, h, k, j, g, 
y, z, f, and long s. 



344 ^oiv to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

Observe the hints and helps offered in preceding 
ilionths. 

Use the tJiree principles only. Combine these letters 
with the semi-extended. Call this class of letters the 
extended. Practice and study those letters containing 
"the stem of beauty," as found in the capital letter M. 
(A, B, F, J. M, N.R, S, T.) 

Select line for practice. 



/J 


/J /J /J /J 


// 


/^ /^ i^ // 


^y 


.^1 ^^^ yTl/ ^^ .^/^ yU^ J^^ y^JX 


// y^ // y yj 


// /y // // // 



JANUARY. 

Classify the letters into tipper and lower case (capital 
and small); sub-divide the lower case into short, semi- 
extended and extended. Thus: 

r UPPER CASE. 

Letters-J Sf^^.'' , , , 

) / Semt-extended, 

1^ LOWER CASE. (Extended. 

Practice and study those capitals (upper case) not yet 
studied. • Let each pupil select and practice writing a 
short saying, or stanza, of not more than four lines, 
during the month. 

FEBRUARY. 

Let those pupils who are advanced drop out of the 
class, if they desire, but have them understand that the 
February examination will contain a review of Penman- 
ship. Let the teacher give his class practice in such 
work as he may think best, but do not abandon the 
writing exercise. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 345 

Write and receipt bill for three articles purchased of 
yoiir nearest merchant, as a specimen of your penman- 
ship. Be certain that the date, place, name, etc , are 
correctly written. Take the specimen at any time. 

Other months at the discretion of the teacher. 

It should be remembered that constant practice with 
a view to improving each individual letter is the only 
way to perfect your penmanship. 

Note. — The author believes that ^;/^ copybook in the 
ungraded schools will be all-sufficient in the course. He 
has carefully studied the various systems, and believes 
that any author giving a complete analysis of all the 
letters in one book, will best serve the purpose of the 
examination He also believes that, no matter what 
book is used, it is best to teach the Mr^^ principles only, 
in the rural schools. 



34^ How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



ADVANCED DIVISION. 



Studies of Fifth Reader Pupils. <f 



Course and Outline of Study. Approximate 
Time — Three Years. 

^Reading, 
Spelling^, 
Penmanship, 
Language and 

Grammar, 
Geography, 
U. S. History, 
Arithmetic. 

classification. 

The principles of classification applied in the two pre- 
ceding divisions will be appropriate to this division. 
The outlines here presented clearly indicate the number 
of classes. 

PENMANSHIP. 

This branch is fully outlined in the Intermediate 
division. 

READING. 

Books — Fifth Reader and Supplementary Reading. 
Object — Same as Intermediate. 
Materials — Same as Intermediate. 

methods and helps in READING. 

Note. — Apply all the methods of utility found in the 
preceding pages of this book. 



Otittme of Study for Advanced Division, 347 

Remember that to pupils, many of the problems in 
Arithmetic are " puzzles"; that Grammar has "no sense 
to it," and that History is "dry" because they have not 
yet learned to read, i. e., to gather the thought from the 
written or printed page. Reading is the basis of all 
knowledge. 

Short lessons: Written work to be a paraphrase of 

the part assigned. 

Text-book— Group the lessons according to authors, 
reading them successively, the pupil becoming acquainted 
with the authorthroughthe selectionsread, and the sketch 
given by the teacher. Longfellow, Bryant, Whittier, 
Holmes, Lowell, Reed, the Careys, Irving, Hawthorne, 
Miss Alcott, etc., should be studied in this way. 

Pupils should know something of American authors 
at least, and if they do not form an acquaintance with 
them in their reading lessons they will never learn about 
them in the common schools. 

The best possible opportunities for teaching literature, 
ifyouknowit yourself, are furnished in our common 
readers— better than in "Literatures" themselves. 

Never allow an historical, a biographical, a biblical, a 
scientific, or literary allusion to be passed over without 
being explained. 

By careful questioning elicit the meaning of the more 

difficult phrases. 

(i) New words applied in oral and written sentences. 

(2) Oral abstract of the lesson. 

(3) Written abstract of the lesson. 

Reproduce in writing, from memory, short stories on 
portions of reading lessons previously read by teacher 
or pupil. 



348 iiozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Good, sensible expression is all that the teacher in the 
common schools should attempt to accomplish. 

The examination will be to paraphrase a verse or 
paragraph, to give the derivation of words and the 
meaning of prefixes and suffixes, and to write an account 
of the author. 

Make the dictionary the constant reference. 
Pupils should be taught in this grade to recognize 
simile, metaphor, hyperbole, metonymy, comparison, 
personification, apostrophe, climax. 

Childr#en can understand these and enjoy them. Ideas 
are simple, it is the clothing of language that makes 
them obscure. 

If higher readers be in the hands of pupils, use the 
outline given for intermediate reading. 

In teaching figures of speech do not define them, but 
simply have them recognized. 

The primary object in any reader is to teach reading. 
The subject of language, in so far as concerns defini- 
tions, grammatical forms, syntatical rules, word-analysis, 
and sentential analysis, should of course he taught as a 
special exercise; and what is claimed for language 
training as drawn from the reading lesson is that it tests, 
applies, and vitalizes the learner's technical knowledge. 
Language in reading should embrace at least the fol- 
lowing points: 

Sentence work sufficient to familiarize the pupil with 
the three principal types of the sentence, statement (i. e. , 
declarative), question (i. e , interrogative), 2.xvdi exclama- 
tion (exclamatory sentence), should be used. The 
nature of these kinds of sentences should be brought 
out in oral lessons. Classifying words so far as to be 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 349 

able to identify name-words (nouns), action-words 
(verbs), and qiiality-ivords (adjectives). The pupil 
should be called on to select from reading lesson and 
copy on slate a certain number of name-words, action- 
words, or quality-words, and to supply same classes of 
words in elliptical sentences. 

Changing Verse Into Prose 6>r^/^r.— This will be found 
an exceedingly interesting and valuable exercise, and 
the teacher should avail himself of every suitable occa- 
sion to apply it. 

USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 

Onr Breadstuffs. 

ab-o-rigi n e s, first 171 habitants. 
curries, hot dishes. 
kiln rkil), large oven. 
mai-zena, maize farina. 

1. In maize we have a native American cereal, as its 
common name ''Indian corn" tells us. It was the chief 
grain cultivated by the aborigines of the New World, 
and was unknown in the Old World till after the dis- 
covery of the New. 

2. Columbus himself brought samples of maize to 
Spain about 1500, and soon afterwards it began to be 
largely cultivated in Europe. It is now not only the 
principal grain-plant of North and South America, but 
it is largely grown in Southern Europe, and forms a 
leading food in many countries of Asia and Africa. It 
is eaten by a greater number of human beings than any 
other grain except rice. 

3. Maize is a plant belonging to the tropical and 
temperate climates. It can be produced only where the 
summer heat lasts a considerable time. It is the hand- 



O-ri-ental, Eastern. 
stately, lofty, majestic. 
tile, clay plate. 
tortillas (tor-teelyaz). 



3 so Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

somest of all the grains. Growing to a height of from 
six to ten feet, with its rich silken "ears" on each stem, 
it has a beautiful, stately appearance; and if it were not 
so common an object it would be prized by us as an 
ornamental plant, as it is in some parts of Europe. 

4. Could there be a finer sight than a great field of 
ripening Indian corn? What a rich, generous, bounti- 
ful look it has! It seems to say, "Here is abundance 
for all — for man and for beast!" And it not merely 
looks bountiful, it is bountiful; it yields many hundred 
fold, and is the most productive of all the cereals. 

5. We are all familiar with the many forms in which 
Indian corn is used as food. We eat it in the unripe 
state as the delicious "green corn," and we eat it roasted 
as the poetic "popcorn." We eat it whole as samp, 
crushed as hominy, ground as mush or Indian pudding, 
and made into starch as maizena. We eat it as corn- 
bread, johnny-cake, and hoe-cake. 

6. The Mexican mode of cooking maize is interest- 
ing, because it was probably the very earliest. First 
the whole corn is soaked in water with a little lye from 
wood-ashes, to soften it and remove the hull. It is 
then crushed or kneaded into a paste upon a stone, by 
rubbing it with a smaller long and narrow stone. After 
this the dough is divided into portions, patted or 
clapped into thin cakes, and baked quickly on a tile. 
These are the tortillas of the Mexicans and other Span- 
ish-Americans, and are the only bread of the common 
people. 

7. If maize is an important grain, rice is still more 
so, for it supplies the principal food of one-third of the 
human race. Rice is an annual plant, from one foot to 



Outline of Study fof Advanced Division. 351 

six feet in height. The seed or grain grows on little 
separate stalks, springing from the main stalk; and when 
the grain is ripe the plant looks like something between 
barley and oats. 

8. The cultivation of rice is most largely carried on 
in India, China, Indo-China, Japan, and the East India 
Islands. This plant needs a warm climate and a plenti- 
ful supply of water; and so, though it is not a native 
American grain, it can be raised in some parts of our 
own country. Nearly two hundred years ago the grow- 
ing of rice was tried in South Carolina. It was found 
to do well there, and now that State yields the finest 
rice in the world. 

9. In this country we think of rice only as an occa- 
sional article of food. Now and then we eat it boiled, 
or in the pleasant form of rice pudding; but in the 
East Indies it is the dish of all classes of people, from 
the monarch to the beggar. In the Oriental countries 
it is not only eaten boiled and in curries, but it is ground 
into flour from which are made various kinds of bread 
and cakes. Rice is a very digestible food; but is not 
so nourishing a grain as wheat or maize, since it contains 
far less of the "fiesh-forming" materials. 

10. Rye is of darker color than wheat, and grows in 
much the same way. This grain is largely cultivated in 
temperate climates. It may be raised in countries too 
cold for wheat, and in soil too poor for any other grain. 

11. In this country rye is not made into bread to any 
great extent; though sometimes it is used with flour to 
make loaves, and it is mixed with Indian meal to form 
the "brown bread" of New England. But in Germany, 
Russia, and other parts of Northern Europe, it is the 



352 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

common breadstuff of the people, and the bread made 
from it is known as "black bread." 

12. In Sweden the peasantry live very generally on 
a kind of rye cakes. These are thin and flat, and have 
a hole in the center through which a stick is run, and 
the cakes are then hung up to dry. The baking is done 
only twice a year, so that for most of the time these rye 
cakes are as hard as a board. 

13. It is supposed that barley is the most ancient 
grain-food of man. It needs very litt'e dressing when 
sent to the mill, having no husk and hence no bran. It 
may be eaten without any other preparation than boil- 
ing. 

14. When the outer coat of the grain is removed, it 
is called /^(^ir/ barley; and in this form it is employed 
as a vegetable for thickening soups. This is the chief 
use to which we put this grain as a food. But in 
various parts of Asia it takes the place of wheat, and 
produces excellent flour, and wholesome bread. 

15. The last of the breadstuffs of which we shall 
speak is oats. This is the hardiest of the grains, and 
can be grown farther north than any other of the 
cereals. The largest quantities are produced in Russia, 
Sweden and Canada. 

16. In preparing oats for our use, the grain is first 
dried in a kiln, and then ground into oatmeal. Boiled 
in water, oat meal makes \.\\q porridge o{ Scotland; and 
in this form it is used to a considerable extent in the 
United States. The Scotch also use it baked into oat 
cakes. 

17. In either form it is an excellent food, being richer 
in the flesh-forming elements than any other grain. 



Outline of Study for Intermediate Division. 353 

The famous Dr. Samuel Johnson once sneered at Scotch- 
men for livint^ so largely on oatmeal, saying that it was 
the food of horses in England and of men in Scotland. 
But a quick-witted Scot cleverly turned the tables on 
the doctor. "True," said he, "and what Jiorses you 
have in England, and what men we have in Scotland!" 

USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 
Our Breadstuff's. 

The questions upon this lesson will embrace, first, a 
series of simple questions which may be answered 
orally, and, secondly, a series of more difficult ones 
which will require written answers. It will be found 
advantageous to pursue this course very often. 

Questions. — i. What is meant by "native American 
cereal?" 2. What is a cereal? 3. Why is America so 
called? 4. Why call maize "Indian corn?". 5. How 
did the Indians cultivate corn? 6. What is meant by 
corn in the bible? 7. Did people have corn in the Old 
World before the discovery of America? 

Written Questions, — i . Tell about Columbus's dis- 
covery of America. 2. About John Smith's visit to 
the Indians for corn. 3. Name the cereals. 4. Define 
aborigines. 5. Write the derivatives of paragraphs i 
and 2. 6. The synonyms. Define the terms "Old 
World" and "New World." Write the words in ist and 
2d containing 00 and u a a a. 

These questions may be continued after this method: 

Oral questions. — Where is corn largely grown? 
Is it used much for food? Where is it best grown? 
How high does it grow? How many ears on a stalk? 
How many grains on an ear? How many grains did it 



354 Hozu to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

take to produce the stalk? Is it profitable to raise corn? 
Do any people plant it for ornament? In how many- 
different ways have you eaten corn? What is Indian 
pudding? How do the Mexicans prepare corn? Who 
are Spanish Americans? How is rice cooked? Did 
you ever eat any? What is an annual? How high 
does rice grow? What does it look like? Where is it 
mostly raised? Find these places on your map. Are 
there any countries where rice is eaten as often as we 
eat bread? If so, where? What are the Oriental 
countries? What does rye look like when growing? 
What is done with it in this country? Where is it 
mostly used as food? What is black bread? Locate 
Germany; Russia; Sweden. Why is barley supposed 
to be the first food of man? What is pearl barley? 
Where are most oats raised? Find Sweden, Russia and 
Canada on your maps. What is made of oats in Scot- 
land? Where is Scotland? Is it a good food? 

Relate the story of Dr. Johnson. 

Written Questions. — Write a list of cereals; of 
breadstuffs. Write an account of the discovery of maize. 
Where is it now raised? What kind of climate is best? 
Give the diacritical marking of aborigines, cereal, dis- 
covery, world, unknown, principal, brought. Give the 
synonyms of maize, cereal, chief, aborigines, unknown, 
samples, grain-plant, grown, leading food, Jiiunan beings. 
Select the derivatives in the first two paragraphs. 
Name the different zones; the climates. What is the 
tropical? The temperate? Write a full description of 
how corn is raised and gathered, after this outline: 
I. Ground prepared, (a) when; (b) how. II. Plant- 
ing, (a) getting seed corn ready; (b) modes of planting 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 355 

1st, old way dropping by hand; 2nd, hand planting; 
3rd, check rower (what is a check rower?) III. Culti- 
vation; (a) plowing, etc. IV. Gathering. What is a 
husking bee? State the different ways in which it is 
prepared for food. Mark handsomest, height, appear- 
ance, ornamental, productive, yields. Write synonyms 
of stately, prized, appearance, bountiful, abundance. 
Define delicious, poetic, crushed, samp, Indian pudding. 
Write derivatives in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5. Name the 
countries inhabited by Spanish Americans. Name those 
discovered or explored by Spaniards. Give a descrip- 
tion of the raising of rice. How many people does it 
feed? Where most cultivated? What kind of climate? 
How first introduced into S. C? What its value as 
food? Name some Oriental countries. Mark occa- 
sional, pleasant, monarch, digestible. Select the deriv- 
atives from paragraphs 7 to 10. The synonyms. Write 
all the words of one syllable. The dissyllables. Write 
the trisyllables. Write about the different uses of rye. 
Tell the difference between rye and wheat. Name the 
countries using "black bread." How is it made in 
Sweden? What is probably the cereal used as food 
first? How is it mostly used? Write a list of countries 
producing barley. Producing oats. What is porridge? 
Oatmeal? Write brief sketch of Dr. Samuel Johnson. 
Write the anecdote in your own words. Write the 
monosyllables; the dissyllables; the trisyllables; the 
synonyms; the derivatives. Define all the dissyllables; 
the polysyllables; the derivatives. Give marking of 
the whole lessons according to long sounds; to short 
sounds; sonants; nonsonavJs. 

The following will serve as model to last. 



356 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 





LONG 


SOUNDS. 




e 
ce'real 


e 
American 


a 
maize 


a 
there 


chief 
leading 


were 
third 


name 
grain 


preparing 


a 
largely 
starch 
are 


6 
ornamental 
corn 
forms 




old 

Columbus 

only 


o 

soon 
food 




SHORT 


SOUNDS. 




i 
native 
till 


ii 
niimber 
much 


e 
tells 
except 


a 
have 
and 


a 
after 
Idsts 




common 
not 




cooking 
looks 




SONANTS. 




b 
brown 


d 

darker 


J 
journey 


ground 


V 

very 


th 
these 


y 

maize 


zh 
occasional 




NON-SONANTS. 




P 
part 


t 

most 


ch 
cheap 


k 

cakes 


f 
food 


th 
thickly 


s 
stately 


sh 
show 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 3^f 

It is not best to attempt too much work in marking. 
An occasional lesson for review, with a very little 
amount each day, will be sufficient to give the pupil 
enough knowledge to use the dictionary intelligently, 
but by all means, have the pupil use the dictionary 
daily in the Advanced Division. 

In using the reader do not feel compelled to follow 
the order of arrangement in the book, but suit your 
own wants in time and place. It is well to read all the 
selections from one author while studying the biography 
of that author. Occasionally, let some pupil make a 
selection, giving him ample time to do so. 

ORTHOGRAPHY. 

PHONICS AND DIACRITICAL MARKINGS. 

As a rule, where attention has been given to the 
Phonics in the country schools, too much time has been 
devoted to it, to the exclusion of more important things. 
A very good plan in ungraded schools is to review the 
Phonic Chart here presented, as a general exercise. 
Suppose you take this list of words: eat, meet, eve, 
mead, bier, seize, pique, key, meed, read; let the school 
pronounce them after you. When the long sound of e 
is recognized have the pupils to give all the words they 
can recall containing this sound, write them in a column 
and place the macron over the e's. Review the column 
rapidly and then secure the sound in concert and from 
the individual. Now strike out all silent letters, but 
remember that the school should assist you at all times. 
By spending three minutes daily the whole school 
will soon secure a fair knowledge of the chart. 



35^ How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

This kind of work will be sufficient for the Primary 
Division, and should be carried farther in the Fourth 
and Fifth Reader grades. 

In the oral recitation (spelling by name), the preced- 
ing list of words would be recited, thus, long e — t, eat; 
m — long e — t, meet; long e, v, eve; m — long e — d, 
mead, etc. 

One letter each day, thus treated, will be sufficient, 
and be of more benefit than more lengthy lessons. 

We here present lists of words in the order of the 
vowels in the chart, as appropriate for use in the plan 
suggested. Let the teacher add to this list as he may 
deem best. 

Long E. Given above. 

Tilde E. Earth, her, sir, myrrh, fur. 

Long A. Aim, lame, bale, vain, trade. 

Flat A. Air, chair, hair, mare, fair. 

Long Italian A. Arm, farm, bark, charm. 

Broad O. Or, for, nor, all, stall, flaw. 

Long O. Oak, ope, oar, joke, smoke, own. 

Long Double O. Ooze, snooze, loose. 

Short I. Ill, fill, mill, pill, squill. 

Short U. Up, cup, under, umber^ but. 

Short E. Ell, fell, well, pell-mell, Ed. 

Short A. Add, at, answer, act. 

Short Italian A. Ask, last, fast, mast. 

Short O. Odd, on, dog, hog, fog, log. 

Long O. Has no corresponding short sound. 

Short Double O. Pull, foot, put. 

Diphthong I. Ice, price, vice, pine. 

Diphthong U. Tune, mute, duty. 

Vowel Consonant Y. Yet, yes, youth. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 359 



Vowel Consonant W. Win, will, wish. 

The Sonants and Non-sonants are easily given. Do 
not spend much time on these divisions. 

It is well to have the the more difficult words written 
on the board, from the reading lessons, and these marked 
diacritically. 



SONANTS. 

B, as in bin. 

D, as in did. 

J, as in jig. 

G, as in go. 

V, as in vine. 

Th, as in this. 

Z, as in zone. 

Zh, as in azure. 

f L, as in lo. 

N, as in no. 
LIQUIDS,<^ j^;^^;„ ^^i„ 

[n, as in sing, 

Do not attempt to do 
ics in the first month 
familiar with the simple 
vowels. 



NON-SONANTS. 

P, as in pin. 

T, as in tin.. 

Ch, as in chin. 

K, as in kill. 

F, as in fill. 

Th, as in thick. 

S, as in so. 

Sh, as in sure, shine. 

H, as in he. 

Wh, as in when. 



all the above work in phon- 

but make your pupils quite 

long and short sounds of the 



DICTIONARY WORK. 

Please note the following: 

1. All reading at the central examinations should be 
from the Constitution of the United States. 

2. Five of the words to be spelled should be selected 
from the list appended below, two of which should be 
defined. Tzvo of these words should be spelled in each 
monthly examination. 

3. All pupils who are thoroughly posted on the Civil 



360 How to Grade and TeacJi a Coimtiy School. 

Government questions under the head of History will 
have no trouble to answer similar ones at the central 
and monthly examinations, but they must use the dic- 
tionary in order to give good definitions for the appended 
list of words. 

4. A very good plan will be to read the Constitution, 
and after reading a sentence, test your knowledge of the 
most important words by referring to the dictionary for 
the meaning conveyed in the connection used. When 
the word and its connections are understood, pass to the 
next one in the appended list. Continue this plan until 
the list is exhausted. It would be well for the teacher 
to select all prefixes found in this list and show the pupil 
how words are made up of roots, prefixes, etc. 

The division into months has nothing to do with the 
limit of the pupil's work for a given month, but simply 
limits the examination. 

The examinations for the work in Orthography should 
be confined to the following limits: 

For October. — Define orthography, word, syllable, 
letter, elementary sound, vowel, consonant, vocal, sub- 
vocal, and aspirate. 

Two rules for spelling: 

Rule I. Final e followed by a vowel. 

Rule II. Final e followed by a consonant. Note 
exceptions. 

Constitution, domestic, tranquility, promote, welfare, 
posterity, ordain, legislative. Congress, electors, requi- 
site, attained, citizen, inhabitant, taxes, including, 
excluding, enumeration, subsequent, entitled, executive, 
writs. Senator, composed, assembled, expiration, resig- 
nation, recess, temporary, appointments, President, 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division, 361 

divided, pro tempore, exercise, sole, impeachments, 
sitting, affirmation. 

Test your pronunciation of the following by actual 
use of the dictionary: 

Abdomen, adverse, bade, abject, bayou, been, begone, 
behalf, accent, acclimate, acetic, acoustics, bellows, be- 
neath, benzine, biography, canine, carmine, address, 
adept, advertise, apricot, archipelago, arctic, area, aspir- 
ant, aunt, advertisement, aged, again, ally, alternate, 
amen, antipodes, apparatus, burlesque. 

Add new words to the list. 

For November — Define diphthong, digraph, triph- 
thong, trigraph, monosyllable, dissyllable, trisyllable, 
polysyllable. 

Two rules for spelling: 

Rule III. Final y of a primitive word preceded by a 
consonant. 

Rule IV. Final y of a primitive word preceded by a 
vowel. 

Secure all the long sounds of vowels 

FROM THE CONSTITUTION. 

Preside, convicted, concurrence, removal, disqualifi- 
cation, honor, trust, profit, liable, indictment, judgment, 
punishment, according, regulations, assemble, returns, 
majority, quorum, business, authorized, compel, pen- 
alty, proceedings, behavior, expel, journal, excepting, 
secrecy, yea, nay, entered, session, compensation, ser- 
vices, ascertained, treasury, treason, belong, breach, 
privileged, respective, debate, created, emoluments, 
continuance, revenue, bill, originate, presented, approve. 



362 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

Test the pronunciation of the following: 

Bronchitis, boquet, bombast, bomb, cassimere, cay- 
enne, celibacy, chamois, chastisement, compensate, com- 
mandant, comely, cleanly, chronological, Christianity, 
comrade, concave, condemning, confiscate, dishonest, 
disaster, diphtheria, defalcation, demonstrate, detesta- 
tion, decorous, cynosure, curator, coronal, dynamite, 
duty, docile, disputant, empyrean, exact, financier, 
finance, finale, fief, faucet, facade, extraordinary, extol, 
forehead, gallows. 

Add new words to the list. 

For December. — Define a primitive, derivative, 
simple and compound word. 

Two rules for spelling: 

Rule V. Doubling of final consonant. 

Rule VI. No doubling of final consonant. 

Review all previous work. 

Review ''Phonics, Diacritical Markings.'' 

From the Constitution: — 

Objection, proceed, reconsider, order, resolution, 
repassed, disapprove, limitation, prescribed, duties, 
impost, excises, uniform, credit, commerce, naturaliza- 
tion, bankruptcies, coin, foreign, standard, weight, 
measure, counterfeiting, security, current, post office, 
post road, science, author, inventor, exclusive, dis- 
covery, tribunal, inferior, piracy, nation, marque, 
reprisal, navy, army, militia, insurrection, invasion, dis- 
cipline, service, reserving, prescribed, cession, pur- 
chased, magazine, dockyard. 

Test the pronunciation of the following: — 

Glacier, geyser, gerund, gaunt, guillotine, gondola, 
granary, gratis, hypocrisy, humor, horizon, homage. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 363 

herb, hiccough, hearth, heraldic, idea, illustrate, italic, 
isolate, irremediable, interested, inquiry, jocose, jugular, 
legend, legislature, leisure, lenient, lever, lyceum, 
maniacal, matron, memoir, mercantile, mirage, mistle- 
toe, monad, morphine, museum, mustache, my, nape, 
national. 

Add new words to the list. 

January.— Define labials, lingual, palatals, suffix, 
prefix. 

Learn four rules for spelling plurals. 

From the Constitution: — 

Fort, arsenal, migration, importation, admit, prior, 
habeas corpus, public, attainder, ex-post-facto, capita- 
tion, census, exported, preference, port, clear, conse- 
quence, receipt, expenditure, published, title, nobility. 

Test the pronunciation of this list: — 

Nausea, nicotine, oasis, obeisance, oblique, occult, 
often, only, onyx, opponent, orthoepy, pageant, patriot, 
patron, pedal, perfume, permit, phalanx, placard, 
plethoric, precedence, prelude, pretty, process, produce, 
pumpkin, pyramidal, quay, raillery, rational, recess, 
referable, refutable, research, revolt, rise, sapphire, 
satire, satrap, science, semi, sergeant, shire, sibyl, sine- 
cure, sirup, slough, solder, squalid, squalor, stalwart, 
stolid, subtle, suffice, suite, synod, telegraphy, three- 
legged, tiny, tirade, toward, treble, trio, tripartite, 
vehement, visor, wont, won't, yacht, zoology. 

Teachers should add to this list such words as they 
may think best. 

February. — Learn the use of the macron, tilde, 
breve, dots, cedilla and suspended bar. Other months 
at the discretion of the teacher. 



364 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

The orthography given above is not intended to sup- 
plant the drill in spelling which must supplement every 
lesson. If the spelling book is used, let it be used so 
as to be worth something. Do not assign ten words for a 
lesson. Let there be fifty or a hundred words or a 
whole page assigned, from which the teacher can select 
the ten, twenty or thirty he has time to hear. Give 
constant drill in rapid pronunciation, pupils having the 
books open before them. Spell difficult words in arith- 
metic, history, grammar and geography. Never give 
up the fight in spelling. 

From the Constitution: — 

King, prince, state, treaty, alliance, confederation, 
writ, tender, debt, contracts, import, export, net, con- 
trol, tonnage, ship-of-war, imminent, admit, delay. 

There are but few words found in Articles II. to VII. 
and in the amendments not found in Article I. Let the 
teacher and pupil find them. 

WORDS FOR PRONUNCIATION. 

It is a good plan to write all words commonly mis- 
pronounced, by yourself and others, in a note book 
kept for this purpose. Now and then you will be 
mortified to find that you are mispronouncing some of 
the most common words in our language. 

It is suggested that you try two or three (or more) 
of the following words daily until you have exhausted 
the list. It will be well to test your pronunciation of 
those words with which you are familiar, also: 

Abel, alas, allies, almond, associate, awaken, aye, 
azure, basin, baths, bear, bevel, bidden, bitten, blazon, 
born, botch, Boston, bought, bravo, brooch, burden, 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 365 



bushel, calm, canine, carbine, cassimere, channel, 
chappel, coral, cored, Chinese, civil, collision, damning, 
deaf, desert (3), dessert, devil, dictionary, eleven, 
engine, ermine, exile, falcon, fallen, gap, gape, gaseous, 
general, graven, grease (2), grimace, halibut, impious, 
lapel, miracle, recess, retail. 

Words having the meaning changed with the accent 
can be arranged after this manner: 



Meaning whe i accented 
on the first syllable. 



Something seen. 
Not present 



Word. 



object 

absent 

accent 

August 

collect 

compact 

convict 

converse 

contrast 

conflict 

cement 

desert 

digest 

export 

escort 

frequent 

extract 

import 

instinct 

minute 

protest 

torment 

transfer 

transport 

present 



Mea ing when accented 
on the last syllable. 



To oppose. . - - 
To keep away. 



366 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



France. 



GEOGRAPHY, FRANCE. 

Blackboard Form, 

r Boundaries. 
Area, 204,000. 
Population, 36,000,000. 
Ocean — Atlantic. 
Bay— Biscay. 
Island — Corsica. 

r Rhone. 



Rivers. 



J Garonne. 
I Loire. 
[Seine. 
C Jura. 
Mountains. < Alps. 

( Pyrenees. 
Paris. 
Versailles. 
Lyons. 
Toulon. 
Marseilles. 
Cities. -{ Toulouse. 

Bordeaux. 
Nantes. 
Brest. 
Havre. 
Rouen. 



^Animal. 



Domestic. — 

rBear. 



Wild. 



Natural . 
History. ] Vegetable, 



r Grains. 
Potato. 
Hemp. 
Flax. 



Chamois, 
Deer. 
Fox. 
Wolf. 
I Hog. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 367 



Fruits. 

Tobacco. 

Vegetables, 
f Iron. 
I Lead. 

Mineral. < ^ ,' 
Coal. 

Copper. 
^Salt. 
Education. — Under control of the govern- 
ment. 
Government. — A Republic. 

Directions. — i. Note how France is separated 
from each of the following countries, viz: Spain, Italy, 
Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. 

2. Collect all the authors on Geography at hand, 
and read all that is said of France. 

3. If the cyclopedia or gazetteer is at hand, take up 
the cities in order and read what may be said of them. 

4. Examine maps and decide upon its absolute and 
relative position. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

1. Who was the Wizard of the North? 

2. How wide is the strait of Dover? 

3. Where is the Republic of Andorra? 

4. For what is Corsica noted? 

5. While Paris is considered the capital of France, 
what is the real capital? 

6. What city in France has the greatest rainfall? 

7. Who was Joan of Arc? 

8. What famous tunnel? 

9. What are truffles and how found? 

10. Explain how victims were killed in the Reign of 
Terror. 



368 How to Grade and Jeach a Country School. 

OCTOBER — EUROPE. 

1. Boundaries and area. 

2. Indentation and projection of coasts (why suited 
to commerce.) 

3 Mountains: Ural, Caucasus, Balkan, Alps, Car- 
pathian, Appennines, Pyrenees, Kiolen or Scandinavian. 
Mountain Peaks: ^tna, Vesuvius, Hecla, Blanc, Mt. 
Elboorz. 

4. Rivers: Dwina, Petchora, Ural, Volga, Don, 
Dneiper, Dneister, Danube, Tiber, Po, Rhone, Ebro, 
Tagus, Seine, Rhine, Elbe, Vistula, Thames, Lififey, 
Mersey, Neva. 

5. Islands: Candia, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Balearic, 
— I Majorca, 2 Minorca, 3 Ivica; Great Britain, Ireland, 
Man, Wright, Hebrides, Iceland, Gothland, CEland, 
GEsel, Zealand, Orkney, Shetland, Faroe, Loffoden, 
Nova Zembla. 

6. Cities: London, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, 
Birmingham, Plymouth, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburg, 
Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Reykjavik, St. Peters- 
burg, Moscow, Archangel, Sebastopol, Odessa, War- 
saw, Riga, Constantinople, Belgrade, Vienna, Buda, 
Prague, Rome, Venice, Milan, Turin, Genoa, Florence, 
Bologna, Naples, Paris, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lyons, 
Brest, Harve, Madrid, Malaga, Gibraltar, Barcelona, 
Lisbon, Oporto, Brussels, Antwerp, The Hague, Am- 
sterdam, Berlin, Leipsig, Dresden, Frankfort, Munich, 
Strasburg, Cologne, Bremen, Hamburg, Hanover, 
Madgeburg, Breslau, Konigsburg, Dantzic, Lubec, 
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Christiana, Bergen, Palermo, 
Athens, Berne. 

7. Peninsulas: Crimea, Morea, Italia, Iberia, Jut- 
land, Scandinavia. 

8. Seas: White, Kara, Caspian, Black, Azov, Mar- 
mora, Archipelago, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Irish, 
North, Baltic. 

Make out the brace form for Europe as you advance. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 369 



Take each country and arrange as lor Maine in the In- 
termediate Division. In the study of a place or country 
find out all that may be said of it in the descriptive 
geography. Omit no interesting or important fact con- 
cerning the subject under study. 

f Topical review. 
I Mathematical (define.) 
Political. 



Physical. " 

Sphere. 

Spheroid. 
Axis. 
Eotation. 
Revolution. 
Terms. -{ Poles. 
Plane. 



Earth. 



Circle. 

Degree. 
Shape. 

Size. 



Motions. 



( Circumference. 
/ Diameter. 



f Geometrical. 
J Geographical. 
] Great, 
t Small. 
\ Minutes. 
I Seconds. 
\ Approximate. 
\ Exact form. 
f Circumference. 

Diamptpr ^ Longest. 
iJiameter. ^ ^Yioviest 

Greatest Circumference 
( On what. 
Rotation. 



I Revolution. 



•] In what time. 
( Effect. 

i Around what. 
In what time. 
Effect. 



Poles. 

Points of direction. 



\ North. 
South. 



Great circles. 



Small circles. 



Equator. 



Meridian circles 
(^ Meridian. 
[ Tropics. 

Polar circles. 



Cardinal. 
Semi-cardinal. 
Northern Hemisp'e 
Southern '• 
Eastern " 

Western " 



\ Of Cancer. 
\ Of Capricorn. 
\ Arctic circle. 
} Antarctic circles. 
Parallels of latitude. 



370 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 



Geographical position. 

( Definition. 



G-EOGRAPHY. \ 



Latitude. 



Longitude. 



Zones. 



\ How Reckoned. 
( Length of Degree, 
f Defiiiition. 
J How reckoned. 



I Length of degree 



Torrid. 



Temperate. 






Frigid. 



Continents. 



Islands. 



( At Equator. 

\ How varying. 

( Extent. 

\ Characteristics. 

f North. 

\ South. 

t ( characteristics. 

( North. 

] South. 

( Characteristics. 
I North America 
\ South America 
\ ( Europe. 

I Eastern. \ Asia. 
[ ( Africa. 



Western. 



§ I Peninsulas. 
1^ \ Capes. 
^ I Isthmuses. 

O I 



.2 I 

CD 



r 

Oceans. 



Coast waters. 



Plains. 
Valleys. 
Plateaus. 
Mountains. 



r Atlantic. 

Pacific. 
I Indian. 
"] Arctic. 
[ Antarctic. 
( Seas. 

\ Gulfs or Bays. 
( Straits. 

Lakes. 



Inland waters. 



Races. 



Rivers. 



f Caucasian. 
I Mongolian. 
\ Ethiopian. 
I Malayan. 
\^ Indian, 



f Fresh. 

I Salt. 

t Main streams. 

i Tributaries. 



Out tine of Study for Advanced Division. 371 

9. Gulfs and Bays: Toronto, Genoa, Lyons, Biscay, 
Bristol, Riga, Finland, Bothnia. 

10. Straits: Bosphorus, Dardanelles, Otranto, Mes- 
sina, Bonifacio, Gibraltar, English. Dover, Skager 
Rack, Cattegat, St. George's, North. 

11. Countries, Capitals, and Governments: Rule 
three vertical spaces; write the names of the Political 
Divisions in one column, the Capital Cities in another, 
and the kind of Government in the third column. 

12. Capes: Matapan, St. Vincent, Finisterre, Wrath, 
Land's End, Clear, Malin Head, Stadtland, North. 

13. Lakes: Ladoga, Onega, Malar, Wener, Wetter, 
Geneva. 

Circle — define {a) great, {h) small. Tropics and Polar 
circles — define. Equator — define. Meridians — define. 
Horizon — define. 

Draw diagram showing the principal circles, width, 
and names of zones. If you have time to do so, it 
would be well to review the United States in a general 
way, as directed. 

DECEMBER — SOUTH AMERICA. 

Boundaries, area, population, countries crossed by 
Equator, by Tropic of Capricorn; extent of latitude, 
north and south; of longitude, east and west. Physi- 
cal features — Capes: Gallinas, St. Roque, Horn, Blanco; 
Rivers: Orinoco, Atpazon, Negro, Madeira, Tapajos, 
Xingu, Tocantins, Para, San Francisco. La Plata, Ura- 
guay, Parana, Paraguay; Lakes: Maracaybo, Patos, 
Titicaca; Islands: Trinidad, Joannes, Falkland, Terra 
del Fuego, Juan Fernandez; Cities: Bogota, Aspinwall, 
Panama, Caracas, La Guayra, Georgetown, Paramaribo, 



372 How to Grade and Teach a Cowitry School. 

Cayenne, Rio Janeiro, Para, Pernambuco, Bahia, Asun- 
cion, Montevideo, Buenos Ayres, Valparaiso, La Paz, 
Potosi, Lima, Callao, Cuzco, Quito, Guayaquil. Locate 
the Andes and one or two other mountain ranges. 
Otherwise treat as suggested in the study of Europe. 
Read all you can find concerning the grassy plains of 
South America; the diamond district; the clutivation 
of grains; raising of stock; habits of natives, &c. 

JANUARY — ASIA. 

1. Boundaries and area. 

2. Indentations and projections of coast. (Why 
suited for commerce.) 

3. Mountains: Ural, Altai, Himalaya, Everest, 
Ararat. 

4. Rivers: Obi, Yenisei, Lena, Amoor, Hoang Ho, 
Yang-tse-Kiang, Cambodia, Irrawaddy, Brahmaputra, 
Ganges, Indus, Euphrates, Tigris. 

5. Islands: New Siberia, Saghalien, Japan, Phillipine 
Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes, Java, Ceylon. 

6. Cities: The capital cities, together with the follow- 
ing, will be sufficient: Shanghai, Nankin, Canton, 
Rangoon, Benares, Bombay, Muscat, Mecca, Jerusalem, 
Smyrna, Batavia. 

7. Peninsulas: Kamtschatka, Corea, Malay, Farther 
India, India, (Hindoostan,) Arabia. 

8. Select ten seas. 

9. Secure a general description of Asia by reference 
to the text and cyclopedia. 

10. Review New England States, 



Out line of Study for Advanced Division, 373 



FEBRUARY — AFRICA AND REVIEW. 

Spend but three or four lessons on the map of Africa, 
but read and recite all the descriptive geography you 
can get. Secure good descriptions of the ruins along 
the Nile, of the Great Desert, of the inland forests, of 
the animals, of the people, etc. 

Review Oceanica in a general way, leaving out all 
unimportant places and islands. A part or the follow- 
ing will be sufficient. 

("Philippine, 
Spice, 

Malaysia. <J Celebes, 
Java, 

Sumbawa. 
Australia, 
Papua, 
New Zealand, 

Australasia. <j Tasmania, 
OCEANICA. i Caledonia, 

Hebrides, 
N. Ireland. 
'^Sandwich, 
Caroline, 
Ladrone, 

Polynesia. { Friendly, 
Sanroan, 
Marquesas 
Pearl. 

Locate Manilla, Batavia, Sidney, Melbourne, Ade- 
lade, Perth, Hobart Town, Honolulu, Auckland. 

One or two review questions upon the United States 
should be had daily, in addition to the regular lessons. 
By so doing pupils need not make a special study of 
the geography of the United States. 



374 How to Grade a?id Teach a Country School. 

In giving location of cities and rivers, let the pupil 
look forward to the description of the countries in which 
they are. 

Bring the following points to the notice of the pupil: 

1. That each grand-division has two general moun- 
tain systems, in the main parallel to each other, and 
enclosing a valley between them. One is called the 
primary range or axis, the other the secondary. The 
only seeming exception is Africa, but by dividing it 
east and west through the Gulf of Guinea, we have a 
double continent illustrating the rule. 

2. The greatest points of land project toward the 
south, while the water indentations point toward the 
north. 

3. That the ocean is not a vast sheet of stagnant 
water, but is filled with great currents flowing through 
it as rivers through the land. 

4. That the tides occur twice each day. 

5. Observe that the climate on the western shore is 
milder than on the eastern shores in the same latitude. 
Find the cause of this. 

6. Observe that the explorations and settlements have 
been made nearer the north than the south pole. Find 
the reason for this. 

7. That seven-eighths of the volcanoes of the world 
are in the belt surrounding the Pacific or within it. 
Commencing with the Andes in South America, trace 
this belt around to Australia. 

8. That the most indented grand-divisions have the 
highest civilization, and the least indented the least 
civilization. Give opinion in regard to this. 

9. Observe that the vegetation is most luxuriant in 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 375 

hot countries, and that plants decrease in number and 
size in going toward the poles. The same is true in 
regard to ascending mountains. Explain the reason for 
this. 

10. That the same law is true in regard to animals. 

11. Observe that the sun, in the mornings and even- 
ings of summer days, shines into your room through 
the north window. Why is this? 

12. Learn the meaning of the terms horizon, zenith, 
antipodes and nadir. 

13. Find out all you can about the International Date 
Line. 

14. Note that the equator passes over the city of 
Quito, the mouth of the Amazon, Gulf of Guinea, Lake 
Victoria, and the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and 
Celebes. 

Make daily use of the globe. Do not neglect this. 

Do not memorize the areas, population, latitude, 
longitude, heights of mountains, etc., excepting a very 
few of the most important, perhaps not more than a 
dozen in the whole world. 

Avoid dry definitions and map questions that lead 
only to naming places without any association. Such 
knowledge is not worth the time spent in acquiring it. 

Pupils of this division should know all that is given 
in the Primary Division of Local Geography of county 
and state, but do not attempt to learn the local geogra- 
phy of other states. 

Do not under any circumstance try to remember all 
the places named in your geographies. It is worse than 
foolish. Do not attempt to learn all the map questions. 
Learn the most important places, and if you have occa- 



37^ Hoiv to Grade aiid Teach a Country SchooL 

sion to use the others, refer to the map. Do not mem- 
orize more than is named in the geography work of the 
divisions. 

Take frequent reviews of the work gone over and 
also that in the other divisions. Have all the names 
given in the geography work written separately on slips 
of paper; put these in a box and let the pupils draw 
them from the box, writing all they can about any 
topic that should thus fall to them. The slips might 
appear about like these: — 



Richmond? 



Marseilles ? 



Hudson? 



Vesuvius ? 



Celebes ? 



Amazon? 



La Paz? 



Gallinas? 



Horn ? 



Horizon? 



St. Vincent? 



Springfield ? 



If the pupil should draw the word "Hudson," as 
shown above, he might write as follows: 

Hudson, one of the most beautiful and important 
rivers of the United States, and the most important of 
New York, rises in the Adirondack mountains in the 
northern part of the state. It flows south and empties 
into New York bay. It is navigable as far as the city 
of Troy. The most noted places along its course are 
the Highlands, Tappan Bay, the Horserace and the 
Palisades. Its most important tributary is the Mohawk. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 377 

It receives the Erie canal at Albany. The most import- 
ant cities along its course are Troy, Albany, Hudson, 
Poughkeepsie, West Point, Sing Sing, Jersey City and 
New York. 

Hudson is also a bay in the northern part of B. A. 

Hudson is also a strait connecting Hudson Bay with 
the Atlantic ocean. 

This is one of the best methods of review. This may 
be used orally, also. 

Have pupils bring in all the pictures of places of 
importance that they can. Teacher will try to collect 
some from the many sources to be found. Let some 
picture impress upon the pupil's mind the location of 
nearly every city, the scenery of every country and 
nearly all the rivers, mountains, etc. 

In drawing maps, a neat outline map upon the board 
drawn in one minute is of more practical value than a 
labored drawing requiring two hours. 

A good general exercise is to have pupils to name all 
the places they can think of, beginning with A, teUing 
what, where, and for what noted. 

Go on with this until you are through the alphabet. 
. Use the names given in the geography work of the 
three divisions for spelling lessons, taking names in 
alphabetical order as before. 

For seat work, have pupils to write lists of words by 
natural divisions, thus: Take rivers one time, moun- 
tains another, etc. Then have each located, telling 
something which makes them important. 

Do not neglect the geography in teaching history. 
There is no better opportunity for impressing places 
upon the memory than in the history classes. Use 



37^ How to Grade and Teach a Coimtry School. 

your maps constantly. If you have no wall map, use 
your large geographies. 

Make up "queer queries" about the countries as you 
proceed; encourage the children to hunt up curious 
questions about places. 

Take a list of animals, write after each the countries 
in which it is found. Proceed in the same way with 
minerals and vegetables. Talk about different manu- 
factured articles, especially of machinery and fabrics. 

In what city can the people standing in their door- 
ways, shake hands with their neighbors on the opposite 
side of the street? 

What is the "Emerald Isle," and why so called? 

What city is so smoky and io^^y that people get 
lost in going to and from their places of business in the 
daytime even with the gas lighted? 

What people use chestnuts as a principal part of their 
food? 

Where is "black bread" used principally for food? 

What is the difference between the vineyards of 
France and Italy? 

How long was the East river bridge, connecting New 
York and Brooklyn, in building? 

Where is Hoosac tunnel? 

What is kerosene? Where obtained? 

What is the "Dead Sea" of the New World? 

What is the true source of the Mississippi? 

What is a bayou? 

Where is the Crescent City? 

How is New York city supplied with water? 

Where is the Horserace? 



Outline of Study fo? Advanced Divisioii. 379 

What president drove mules on a towpath along the 
Ohio and Erie canal when a boy? 

What are the most noted canals of the world? 

Where is the beaver found? 

Where is the Lake of the Thousand Isles? 

How wide is the St. Lawrence river just below 
Quebec? Near its mouth? 

Where is the Presidents' Range?" 

Where and what are the "Great Geysers?" 

Where is the National Park? Who controls it? 

What is "The City of Angels," and why so called? 

How do the Esquimaux build their houses? 

How long does the rainy season last in Brazil? 

Who were the Incas? 

What is the "Victoria Regia?" 

From what is chocolate obtained and where found? 

What is a ranch? 

What is the Gran Chaco? 

What is the Great Eastern? 

What is the Tower? 

What is the meaning of "Netherlands?" What 
countries are so called? Why? 

What is the food of the silkworm? 

Where is the most famous dock in the world? 

Where is St. Peter's? 

In what city are gondolas used? Why? 

Where are the "Gardens of the Tuilleries?" 

Who was the most noted man of Switzerland? 

Where is the Matterhorn? 

Who founded Constantinople? 

Where is Mocha coffee obtained? 

Why are Herculaneum and Pompeii noted places? 



380 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 



What does "Himalaya" mean? 

Where is the Vale of Cashmere? 

What tree sheds its bark instead of its leaves? Where 
IS it found? 

What and where is the International Date Line? 

Where is Whitsunday Island? 

The teacher should add to these questions as he goes 
on. Pupils will thus obtain a fund of information that 
is at once useful and fascinating. 

Comparison of the Eastern and Western Continent 
after the following model will prove an interesting and 
profitable exercise: 



The Eastern Continent. 

1. Three grand divisions. 

2. Twice as large as the 
New World. 

3. Length and breadth 
nearly equal. 

4. Distance, east and 
west, 10,000 miles. 

5. Distance north and 
south, 7,000 miles. 

6. Mountains extend east 
and west. 

7. Mountains highest near 
tropic of Cancer. 

8. One third of the sur- 
face plains. 

9. Continental climate. 
10. Scanty rains and great 

deserts. 



The Western Continent. 

1. Two grand, divisions. 

2. One-half as large as 
the Old World. 

3. Long and narrow;length 
— three times the breadth. 

4. Distance east and west, 
3,000 miles. 

5. Distance north and 
south, 7,000 miles. 

6. Mountains extend north 
and south. 

7. Mountainshighestnear 
|the tropic of Capricorn. 

8. Two-thirds of the sur- 
face plains. 

9. Oceanic climate. 

10. Abundant rains, great 
rivers and lakes. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 381 



The Western Continent. 
II. Wild animals are 
buffalo, moose, grizzly bear, 
sloth and Llama. 



12. Native domestic ani- 
mals — dog and turkey. 



The Eastern Continent. 

11. Wild animals are ele- 
phant, rhinoceros, giraffe, 
lion, tiger, hippopotamus 
and camel. 

12. Native domestic ani- 
mals — horse, ox, sheep and 
hog; hen, duck, goose and 
dog. 

Take up in the same way the grand divisions, oceans, 
molintains, pleateaus, plains, rivers, lakes, cities, ocean 
currents, seas, capes, etc. 

Make out in the same way points of resemblance. 

Let the pupil start at any point and follow a river or 
coast line and name every important place as he reaches 
it, telling something important about each place. Fol- 
lowing this plan quite often will give pupils a complete 
knowledge of the important places of a country. It 
cultivates the habit of close observation. 

If the teacher will secure the map of the United 
States from an old geography, paste it upon heavy card 
board, then with a sharp knife cut out each state, he 
will have a dissected map with which he can keep the 
pupils interested many an hour and at the same time 
teach the boundary and location of states so impress- 
ively that they will never be forgotten. 

COMMERCIAL GEOGRAPHY. 

Go to your druggist, purchase ten cents worth of pill- 
boxes; take these to your grocer, and ask privilege to 
fill each with a different article; you will find tea, coffee, 
ghocolate, rice, pepper, all-spice, ginger, citron, sugar. 



382 How to Grade and TcacJi a Count?y School. 

nutmeg, soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, prunes, currants, 
flour, meal, bees-wax, etc.; when you have secured all 
that you can think of, settle zvitJi Jiim. From the 
druggist you may secure quinine, copperas, ochre, 
gum-arabic, opium, licorice, magnesia. From the 
farmer, peas, corn, beans, seeds of different kinds, etc. 
From cans may be secured colored labels of fruits, such 
as bananas, pine-apples, quinces, apricots, plums, etc. 
In some manner secure a picture of a salmon, a herring, 
an oyster, a sardine etc. The thoughtful teacher will 
collect many things not mentioned above, such as silk, 
wool, feathers etc. 

Take one of the above articles as a topic for a general 
exercise; with a brief outline upon the board proceed 
to illustrate the growth, location, cultivation, commer- 
cial value and history of the product; thus: 



Coffee. 



Description 

Nativity. (Abyssinia.) 

r Brazil. 



Cultivated in <; 



Historical. 
Commercial, 



Java. 

Ceylon. 

Sumatra. 

India. 

Arabia. 

Abyssinia. 

West Indies. 

Central America. 

Venezuela. 

Guiana. 

Peru. 

Bolivia. 



Oiitlhie of Study for Advanced Division. 383 

Have the children read all that is said upon the sub- 
ject of coffee in their geographies; have them supplied 
with pictures representing the plant in cultivation; if 
possible borrow or beg a large picture advertising the 
merits of some kind of coffee; develop statements 
similar to these: plant, 8 to 20 ft. in height, white 
flowers, gray bark, bears at three and continues to the 
age of 20 years, leaves opposite, evergreen, fruit red, 
eatable, two seeds in each berry, etc. 

Picked in India, shaken upon cloths in Arabia; dried 
in the shade, pulp afterwards removed; fermented in 
the West Indies, dried, then pulp is removed by win- 
nowing; (explain.) 

Introduced into Persia from Ethiopia in 875, A. D.; 
into Arabia in the 15th century; Arabian writers first 
mention its use; sold in Constantinople in 1554 and in 
Venice in 1615; first coffee house in London, 1652; 
show the specimen and let the children handle it, talk 
of the berry, gathering it, preparing it for the market, 
etc. Browning coffee; making coffee; drinking coffee; 
berries boiled in Arabia, leaf in Sumatra; the best is 
the Mocha and second the Java; why? How to dis- 
tinguish the different coffees. 

Trace the transportation of coffee to the town ex- 
porting it and thence to the consumer; make this as 
graphic as possible by showing pictures of men carry- 
ing it, of ships loading, of custom houses receiving it, 
of transportation by rail, etc. 

Have places pointed out in all allusions; if necessary go 
to the school grounds for "Mercator's Map" mentioned 
elsewhere. Let pupils carry it from port to port; load 
with some other commodity and return for another invoice, 



384 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Treat other subjects in a similar manner, until your 
list is exhausted. If this exercise is properly managed 
it will be productive of much real good, and in the 
hands of the live teacher is the key to success in the 
teaching of geography. 

Try it upon a small scale, and you will be pleased 
with the results. 

For the United States (Intermediate Division) use 
products grown within its boundaries for a time, and 
trace their exchange between the different states. 

Caution — begin with the products of the farm or 
garden, and learn how they are exported{'^) to other 
farms or to the city, and how t\\Q farmer or the gardeiier 
imports(}) articles in exchange for his exports{}). 

TRACING LESSONS. 

No system of teaching geography is complete with- 
out its lessons in tracing; by this we mean the plan of 
starting with a place, and noting all places of interest 
as we pass in imagination from place to place e?i ronte 
for a certain destination. In the case of "Commercial 
Geography" above we have a fine opportunity for doing 
much tracing. 

Let the teacher do much tracing in his work all along 
the line. 

OCTOBER — GRAMMAR. 

I. a, orthography; /?, etymology; c, syntax; d, 
prosody. Etymology, i, noun; rt', proper and common; 
b, number, singular and plural; formation of regular and 
irregular plurals; c, gender, masculine and feminine 
(common), methods of distinguishing the sexes; d^ 
persons (three); ^, case, nominative as subject and pred- 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 385 

icate, possessive and objective. Declension. Rules 
for construction (nominative, possessive, objective.) 

For parsing, the following form is universally recom- 
mended by the teachers who have used it. We cheer- 
fully recommend it as being the best form of which we 
have any knowledge: 

The mafi stole Johns hat. 



1. a. 


c. n. 


i. t. V. 


p. n. 


c. n. 


"man. " 


3- 


a. V. 


3- 


3. 




s. 


1. m. 


s. 


s. 




m. g. 


p. t. 


m. g. 


n. g. 




n. c. 


3. 


p. c. 


0. c. 




"stole." 


s. 
"man." 


"hat." 


"stole." 



Reading from top to bottom we have "the" is a 
limiting adjective, limits "man." "Man" is a common 
noun, third person, singular number, masculine gender, 
nominative case, subject of "stole," etc. 

The department of grammar devoted to Orthography 
should be omitted in this course; it should be studied 
in connection with spelling as outlined. 

VERBAL ANALYSIS. 



I. Describe the sentence. <! 



Simple. 
ir <J Complex. 
Compound, 






Declarative. 
Imperative. 
Interrogative. 
Exclamatory, 



386 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

2. Give the complex subject. 

3. Give the simple subject. 
Above exemplified. 
Simple sentence. 

"The merchant of Decatur fulfilled his contract" [i] 
is a simple declarative sentence, of which [2J the mer- 
chant of Decatur is the complex subject, of which [3] 
'merchant' is the simple subject, modified by [4] 'the,' 
a simple adjective element of the first class. The sub- 
ject is also modified by 'of Decatur,' an adjective ele- 
ment of the second class. 

COMPOSITION. 

The ability to write an intelligent essay or composi- 
tion is worth far more to the pupil than to be able to 
parse the most difficult constructions in technical 
grammar. 

Space does not permit a discussion of this statement; 
we ask the teacher to carefully consider it, and to do 
something to aid the pupil in this direction. 

Notes.' — Suppose we take the subject Columbus, as 
outlined in the "History Outlines," and ask our pupils 
to write sentences containing proper and common nouns, 
(confining themselves to the outlines,) and to bring 
these to the class at the recitation; we should get some- 
thing like the following as a result: — 

'' Coliiinbus \\di?> born at Genoa, Italy, in 1435. He 
worked at wool-combing as a trade when a boy.'' 

The pupil would recite the lines written, then say: 
"Columbus, Genoa, and Italy are proper nouns; 1435, 
wool-combing, trade and boy are common nouns. " 

Extend this at pleasure until the pupil writes intelli- 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 387 

gently about the birth place of Columbus, then require 
nouns in the singular and plural under the head of 
"early education," etc. 

"He was unlike other boys in this respect— he 
delighted to study the stars and would gaze at them for 
hours, book in hand, as he contemplated the works of 
the Creator." 

The pupil would select the nouns as before, giving 
the number. Proceed in this manner, at the same time 
securing the expanded sentence at the end, and in order 
of the outline given in the history work of this division, 
finally producing the complete essay or historical 

sketch. 

When the essay or composition is completed, file it 
as a part of the grammar work for the regular monthly 
examination. Due allowance will be made for this in 
shortening the examinations in this branch. 

Columbus may be the subject for October; follow the 
outline given and see that the pupil is able to use his 
knowledge of grammar in his composition. Try to 
have every term illustrated. 

By this means the pupil will learn to use the language 
according to the principles of grammar. He will realize 
that his thoughts may be expressed in a right way or 
a wrong way; he will fully appreciate the importance 
of expressing himself in the right way; he will soon 
come to know that using his knowledge of grammar 
in every thing he says or writes is of the greatest im- 
portance. 



388 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

NOVEMBER. 

Adjective, limiting and qualifying. Comparison, 
positive, comparative, superlative. 

(Note — Make a special review, almost daily ^ of the 
possessive, singular and plural.) 

Pronouns; personal, relative, interrogative, ante- 
cedent; declension. 



Verbal Analysis. 

T\ -u 4-u A'c r 4-u u C Structure. 

4. Describe the modifiers of the sub- > t> , ^. 

• ^ ^ < Relation, 

ject as to j T^ 

•' ( Base. 

5. Give the base of the modifier and describe its 
modifiers. 

•6. Give the complex predicate. 
7. Give the simple predicate. 
The above exemplified. 

Complex Sentence. 

"A man who is honest will be respected," is a com- 
plex declarative sentence, of which [2] 'a man who is 
honest' is the complex subject, [3] a 'man' is the 
simple subject, [4] modified by *a' a simple adjective 
element of the first class, and by 'who is honest,' a 
simple adjective element of the third class, a simple 
declarative subordinate sentence, of which 'who' is the 
simple subject, unmodified, also the subordinate con- 
nective, and 'is honest' the simple predicate 'Will be 
respected' is the simple predicate of the leading sen 
tence, unmodified. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 389 



Snitb. 



Outli7ie for Composition. 

C Birth, — time and place. 
'Early life. < Nationality and education. 
Early adventures. 

''Explores coast of America. 

Visited Jamestown. Is governor. 

Colony prosperous. 
Manhood. <J Narrow Escape. 

Returns to England. To America. 

Slavery introduced. 
^ His death. 

C Birth, — time and place. 
Early life. < Nationality. Events of his boy- 
( hood. 

^His profession. Becomes a Puritan. 
The Puritans. (Who they were.) 
The Mayflower. Plymouth. 
<j Indian Troubles. Difficulties. 
A Soldier. Death. Character. 
Longfellow's poem. Resistance to the 
King. 

C Birth, — time and place. 
Early life. < Education. 

f Time in which he lived. 



Williams. < 



o 
o 



f Occupation. Where? His views, 
I Banishment. Purchase of land. 
<; Providence Colony. His work. 
I Return to England. His death. 
I His grave and the apple tree. 



39^ Mow to Grade and Teach a Country School, 




MRS. ROSS MAKING THE STARS AND STRIPES. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division, 391 

History furnishes a rich field for subjects in composi> 
tion; the teacher can do no better than select some 
good historical picture, direct the children how and 
where to find appropriate reference matter, then require 
compositions to be written without reference to any 
book. 

See suggestive outlines. 

DECEMBER. 

Verb, classification (as to meaning, transitive and in- 
transitive, as to form, regular and irregular,) properties, 
voice, {a) active, passive, mode (five modes,) tense, 
present [2,] past [2,] future [2.] Person and number 
depend on subject. Conjugation. 

Verbal Analysis. 

C Structure. 
Describe the modifiers of the predicate as to < Relation. 

( Base. 
Give the base of the modifier and describe its modi- 
fiers. — Holbrook. 
ANALYSIS EXEMPLIFIED. 
Compound Sentence. 

"Frankness is certainly commendable, but impudence 
is offensive," is a compound declarative sentence, of 
which * frankness is certainly commendable' is the lead- 
ing sentence; of which 'frankness' is the simple sub- 
ject, unmodified; of which sentence also 'is certainly 
commendable' is the complex predicate, of which Ms 
commendable' is the simple predicate modified by 'cer- 
tainly,' a simple adverbial element of the first class. 
*But impudence is very offensive' is a co-ordinate de- 



392 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

clarative sentence, of which 'but' is the co-ordirtate 
connective, and 'impudence' the simple subject un- 
modified; of which sentence also * is offensive' is the 
complex predicate modified by 'very,' a simple ad- 
verbial element of the first class. 

Note on Verbal Analysis. 

It is recommended that persons who are somewhat 
advanced in the study of grammar as a science, should 
give much attention to analysis. To the student we 
will say that nothing will enable you to comprehend the 
sentence in all its parts so perfectly as a thorough knowl- 
edge of sentence analysis. 

Diagrams. 

It is recommended that the teacher use some good form 
of diagrams for a sentence picture to the eye of the pupil. 
Too many of us do not use the blackboard as freely as we 
should, or the means of picture and written work to be 
had in the school-room. Let us be aggressive and adopt 
every method and means within our sphere to make the 
schools what they should be — the pride of the people. 

While we do not insist upon any particular form, we 
cheerfully recommend the following as being simple for 
the learner and pleasing to the eye: 

outline should be followed 





Use some system of diagrams for the benefit of your 
classes. It is economy to do so. 



< 
P 
< 

W 
O 

< 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division, 393 

OUTLINE FOR COMPOSITION. 

C Birth, — time and place. 
Early life. < Parentage. 
r Education. 



^Member of Assembly — 1 766-1 789. 
Opposes the King. 
_ _ , J Colonial and Continental Congresses. 
Manhood. { g.^^^ Declaration. Defends it. 

I Death. When and where. 

(^Influence of his life and character. 

In the same manner select from the following list of 
names such as may seem best suited to your classes: 
John Adams, Oglethorpe, Penn, Lord Baltimore, Hud- 
son, Raleigh, DeSoto, Cartier, Champlain, the Cabots, 
Magellan. Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin. 

Be careful not to require too much of the pupils, but 
do the work systematically and thoroughly. 

JANUARY. 

Adverb, of time, place, cause, manner. 

Preposition. 

Conjunction, co-ordinate and subordinate. 

Interjection. 

Define, write, and analyze the different kinds of 
sentences. Select the sentences best calculated to 
illustrate the terms. (See verbal analysis for October, 
for the terms used.) 

OUTLINE FOR COMPOSITION. 

Make up and use outlines similar to those presented, 
for this month, of Hamilton, Fulton, Whitney, Stephen- 
son, Monroe, Webster. 



394 i/<?^^ to Grade and Teach a Country School* 

FEBRUARY. 

keview the verb and such other topics as you think 
best. Analyze some of the sentences constructed by 
pupils in their compositions. 

Subjects for Composition. — Calhoun, Jackson, Fre- 
mont, Mrs. Lincoln, Morse, McCormick, Field, Sumner, 
Pocahontas, Mrs. Hemans, Longfellow, Greely, John 
Hancock, Marion, Arnold, Paul Revere and his ride, 
Andre, Warren, Clay, Alexander Stephens, Grant, 
Garfield, Francis S. Key, Our Flag's History. It is 
not expected that pupils should write upon all of these 
in one month; simply those selected by the teacher 
should be required. 

Garfield may be the subject for the Annual Exhibit 
in February. The teacher should prepare the outline. 

SOME HELPS. — FOR TEACHER AND PUPIL. 

Definition. — A the^ne is a series of paragraphs 
giving a complete exposition of the whole subject of 
which a number of paragraphs treat. 

Themes may be divided into: 

1. Themes of Narration. 

2. " " Description. 

3. " " Reflection. 

4. " " Discussion. 

5. " " Argumentation. 

Notes.— i. When you cannot derive your facts from 
personal observation, read some authentic account of 
them; fill in the scheme as you read. 

2. After making up your complete scheme ^ never use 
your book for reference. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division, 395 

3. Make marginal notes on your scheme for those 
points admitting of enlargement. 

4. A theme is an expansion of paragraphs; therefore 
schemes are expanded into pragraphs. 

5. Narration is incidental, liistorical, and biographicaL 

6. Description treats of individual objects, class 
objects and moral qualities, 

7. Reflection deals with individual objects, class 
objects, events, abstract qualities, and the character of 
persons. 

8. Argumentative themes are the most difficult as 
well as the most important of all compositions. It 
should not be treated in the first year's work of this 
division. 

9. Discursive themes cannot be properly classified, as 
they include all subjects not found in the preceding. 

SCHEME — EXAMPLES IN NARRATION. 

1. Time. 

2. Place. 

3. Object. 

4. Event. 

5. Manner. 

Example: 

THE NEWS FROM LEXINGTON. 



Scheme. 

1. Time — night. 

2. Place — Lexington. 



Expanded Notes, 
After the battle of Lex- 
ington. 

The villages, backwoods, 



3. Object — to transmit 
news of battle. Relays of 1 seashore, and cities. 
horses. ' 



39^ How to Grade and Teach a Countiy School. 



4. Event. News spread 
from New Hampshire to 
Vermont, to Montreal, to 
Quebec, to north, south, 
east, and west. Places it 
went. 

5. Manner. It hurried 
from New York to Phila- 
delphia, crossed the Poto- 
mac, traversed Dismal 
Swamp, over Blue Ridge 
Mountains and Alleghenies. 
Settlers of Kentucky name 
Lexington. 



Throughout Maine, New 
Hampshire, Vermont, to 
Quebec. 



All along the Atlantic 
States to Georgia. West- 
ward from the mountains. 



What Harnett said. 

What about Hillsborough 
and Mecklenberg district? 



THE NEWS FROM LEXINGTON. 

George Bancroft was born at Worcester, Massachu- 
setts, in 1800. After he was graduated from Cam- 
bridge, he went abroad to study in Germany. His most 
important work is the History of the United States from 
tJie Discovery of the American Continent. An English 
critic describes this work as one of great research, and 
says, ''While the author states his opinions decidedly 
and strongly, it is pervaded by a fair and just spirit. 
The style is vigorous, clear, and frank, not often rising 
into eloquence, but frequently picturesque. It is a 
national work, and worthy of its great tlieme. " 

I. Darkness closed upon the country and upon the 
town, but it was no night for sleep. Heralds on swift 
relays of horses transmitted the war message from hand 
to hand, till village repeated it to village, the sea to the 
backwoods, the plains to the highlands; and it was 
never suffered to droop till it had been borne north and 
south and east and west throughout the land. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 397 

2. It spread over the bays that receive the Saco and 
the Penobscot. Its loud reveille broke the rest of the 
trappers of New Hampshire, and, ringing like bugle- 
notes from peak to peak, overleapt the Green Moun- 
tains, swept onward to Montreal, and descended the 
ocean-river till the responses were echoed from the cliffs 
of Quebec. 

3. The hills along the Hudson told to one another the 
tale. As the summons hurried to the south, it was one 
day in New York; in one more at Philadelphia; the 
next it lighted a watch-fire at Baltimore; thence it 
waked an answer at Annapolis. Crossing the Potomac 
near Mount Vernon, it was sent forward without a halt 
to Williamsburg. 

4. It traversed the Dismal Swamp to Nansemond, 
along the route of the first emigrants to North Carolina. 
It moved onward, and still onward, through boundless 
groves of evergreen, to Newbern and to Wilmington. 
"For God's sake, forward it by night and by day!" 
wrote Cornelius Harnett by the express which sped for 
Brunswick. 

5. Patriots of South Carolina caught up its tones at 
the border and despatched it to Charleston; and through 
pines and palmettoes and moss-clad live-oaks still farther 
to the south, till it resounded among the New England 
settlements beyond the Savannah. Hillsborough and 
the Mecklenburg district of North Carolina rose in 
triumph, now that their wearisome uncertainty had its 
end. 

6. The Blue Ridge took up the voice and made it 
heard from one end to the other of the valley of 
Virginia. The Alleghenies, as they listened, opened 



39^ How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

their barriers, that the "loud call" might pass through 
to the hardy riflemen on the Holston, the Watauga, 
and the French Broad. Ever renewing its strength, 
powerful enough even to create a commonwealth, it 
breathed its inspiring words to the first settlers of 
Kentucky; so that hunters who made their halt in the 
matchJess valley of the Elkhorn, commemorated the 
nineteenth day of April by naming their encampment 
Lexington. 

Definitions. — i. Relays, supplies of horses placed 
on the road, to be in readiness to relieve ot Iters. 2. 
Reveille (revalya), tJie beat of drum, about daybreak, to 
give notice that it is time for the soldiers to rise. 6. 
Commonwealth, an established form of government; 
usually applied to goverjiments which are considered free 
or popular. 

Notes. — 4. Cornelius Harnett was an American 
statesman. He was born in England, but became a 
citizen of North Carolina before the Revolution, and 
was afterward a member of the Continental Congress. 

5. The Mecklenburg district of NortJi Carolijta. The 
patriots of this district adopted a declaration of inde- 
pendence more than a year previous to the general 
declaration, made in Philadelphia, July 4, 1776. 

6. Lexington, which was formerly the capital of 
Kentucky, is a thriving town in the northeastern part 
of the State. 

A simile is a comparison of two objects, and is founded 
on resemblances, thus: 

"As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth 
them that fear him. " 

Comparisons should only be made, when one object 



Oiitlijie of Study for Advanced Division, 399 

is more familiar than the other, where there is sufficient 
similarity, and where the Hkeness is not too obvious. 

Make similes to these words: 
Life, Hate, Eternity, 

Death, Love, Sorrow, 

Age, Intemperance, Anger. 

Youth, Friendship, 

Select from readers, geographies, grammars and his- 
tories all the similes you can find. Write them on as 
many subjects as you can. 

A metaphor gives an object the appropriate name of 
another object, on account of a resemblance between 
them. 

A metaphor is founded on comparison, but represents 
one thing as doing what is really done by another. 
Thus: " The grassy plain of the LaPlata is like a sea," 
is a simile; while *'The sea of grass along the LaPlata," 
is a metaphor. 

Change these metaphors into plain language: 

"Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to our 
path." 

"I am the bread of life. " 

His head was covered with the frost of many winters. 

The dew of youth was upon her lips. 

Hyperbole exaggerates a statement. It differs from a 
falsehood, because in using it there is no wish to deceive. 
It is a kind of speech into which young people are very 
apt to fall. This is because the imagination of the 
young leads them unconsciously into it. Point out the 
hyperboles in your reading lessons, and give your idea 
as to why they are used. The following will serve as 
an example: 



400 How to Grade and Teach a Country School 

"Seventy breezy miles were written in his very whis- 
kers. His manners were a canter; his conversation a 
round trot. He was a fast coach upon a down hill turn- 
pike road; he was all pace. A wagon could not have 
moved slow with that guard and his turnkey upon it." 
Charles Dickens. 

Personification attributes to inanimate objects some of 
the qualities of living beings. "The Freaks of the 
Frost" is a well known example, as are also most of 
^sops Fables. 

Comparison is an extended simile. 

Apostrophe addresses the absent, the dead, or inani- 
mate objects, as if the last had consciousness; thus: 

"Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll! " 

Apostrophize the ocean; the setting sun; the snow; 
George Washington. 

Climax consists in so arranging the words of a series, 
or the parts of a sentence, that the least impressive may 
stand first, and the successive words or parts grow in 
strength. 

The following will serve as examples: 

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He 
maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth 
me beside the still waters; He restoreth my soul. He 
leadeth me in the path of righteousness for His name's 
sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with 
me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou 
annointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days 
of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord 
forever." 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 401 

" He aspired to the highest — above the people, above 
the authorities, above the laws, above his country." 

Let the pupils select and name the different figures 
here given, thus making them familiar with the more 
common ones. Let them attempt the use of those named. 

History and biography afford the simplest themes for 
composition; such as — 

The adventures of Ponce De Leon. 

The Conquest of Mexico by Cortez. 

DeSoto's Discovery of the Mississippi River. 

The Coming of the Pilgrim Fathers, 

The Massacre of Wyoming. 

Washington Irving. 

Life of Pythagoras, etc. 

Information upon these topics is easily obtained. 

Take some sentence, consisting of simple subject and 
simple predicate, have pupils add modifiers of single 
words, then phrases; thus: 



fly. 

fly swiftly, 
fly very swiftly, 
fly with it very swiftly to 
their nests. 



I. Birds 

2. Some birds 

3. Some birds of prey 

4. Some birds of prey, hav 

ing secured their victim, 

Is this still a simple sentence? Have the answer to 
this question made very clear to the pupil. 

Try this with these or similar sentences: 

I. Ships sail. 2. Lightning glares. 3. Stephen 
died. 4. Joseph was sold. 5. Prayer is desired. 6. 
Islands produce. 7. Children sing. 

Take several statements, write them upon the board, 
and have pupils write them into a simple sentence. The 
following exemplifies the method: 



402 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

1. Columbus saw a light at a distance. 

2. This was about two hours before midnight. 

3. Columbus was standing on the forecastle. 

Coinbi7ied. About two hours before midnight, Col- 
umbus, standing on the forecastle, saw a light at a 
distance. 

Unite the following into a simple sentence: 

1. Columbus returned to Spain in 1493. 

2. He had spent some months in exploring the 
delightful regions. 

3. These regions had long been dreamed of by many. 

4. They were now first thrown open to European 
eyes. 

i I. The next morning the battle began in earnest. 

< 2. The next morning was the 24th of June. 

( 3. The battle began at daybreak. 

These may be constructed in several different ways. 
App'y these tests: Which construction is clearest? 
Which neatest? Which most harmonious? 

1. DeSoto discovered a great river. 

The Indians called it Mesaseba. 
It is now called the Mississippi. 

2. The clustered spires of Frederic stand. 

They stand up from the meadows rich with corn. 
They stand clear in the cool September morn. 
Frederick is green-walled by the hills of Mary- 
land. 

Complete the following complex sentences by adding 
adjective clauses: 

1 . The condor is the largest bird , 

2. Botany is the science 

3. The day will come 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 403 

Add adverbial clauses to the following: 

1. The camel is called the ship of the desert 

2. The ground is never frozen in Cuba, 

3. The highest mountains are constantly covered 
with snow, 

Teacher will take a short story, read it aloud to the 
class. The class will write it from memory. Point out 
the simple and complex sentences. Analyze or diagram 
one of each. 

Add to each of the following statements another 
statement, using and as a connective: 

1. In winter the days are short, and 

2. Grant was a great soldier, and 

3. Grover Cleveland was governor of New York, 

and 

Use but, yet, else, nevertheless, etc., in the following: 

1. Though Belgium is a small country, yet 

2. Many persons tried to discourage Columbus, but 

3. Napoleon was a great conqueror, but 

4. Although sugar is made chiefly from the sugar 
cane, 

5. Washington was defeated at Brandy wine, but 

The teacher can add to these sentences at his pleasure. 

The completion of such statements will assist very much 
in giving the pupils a correct conception as to what a 
simple, complex or compound sentence is; also why one 
is complex or simple and the other compound. Be 
able to tell any of the kinds of sentences and to write 
examples of each kind. 

Expand these simple into complex sentences: 
I. The physician predicted the recovery of your 
father. 



404 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

2. Men of great talents are not always lovable persons. 

3. The Jews still expect the coming of the Messiah. 
4- The stars appear small to us because of their 

distance. 

Change these simple sentences into complex and, if 
possible, into compound: 

1. The water is not fit to drink on account of its 
saltness. 

2. With patience, he might have succeeded. 

3. Having defeated Hood, Sherman took possession 
of Atlanta. 

Change these complex sentences into simple: 

1. When it snows in Memphis, it disappears in one 
day. 

2. Unless we are diligent we will not succeed. 
Contract these compound sentences into complex or 

simple. 

1. You are perplexed and I know it. 

2. The man yelled vociferously and immediately the 
crowd gathered. 

3. Though Ponce DeLeon searched for the fountain 
of youth, yet he never found it. 

In all this work the teacher will add to the suggestions 
given, until his pupils can express their thoughts in 
simple sentences, expand them into complex or com- 
pound, or contract them to simple from complex or 
compound. 

Have pupils change sentences containing verbs in the 
active to the passive, and those in the passive to the 
active voice. 

Have pupils to write short paragraphs on the news of 
the day. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 405 

PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC. 

If the pupil be thoroughly grounded in the principles 
involved in decimals, he will have but little trouble in 
the application oi percentage. 

It is thought best not to divide the work of this divi- 
sion into month's work, but to leave the limit to the 
discretion of the teacher. Let the work be thoroughly 
and carefully done. 

Define per cent., rate percentage, base. 

The four cases of percentage; profit and loss and its 
cases; commission and brokerage; capital and stocks, 
insurance, taxes, customs, bankruptcy, interest, dis- 
count, exchange, equation of payments, etc. 

All problems solved by the application of one or more 
of the four cases in percentage. 

No more terms should be defined than seem necessary 
to a clear understanding of the subject. 

For those teachers desiring examination Umits we 
present the following, which is but suggestive: 
OCTOBER — DECIMALS AND REVIEWS. 

The only point in decimals is the decimal poifit. Will 

yon fix it ? 

It is well to review United States money, then show 
the children that the point has the same nse in decimals, 
and that we could carry the decimals of a dollar toward 
the right as in decimal fractions. Define all the terms, 
and solve all problems. 

Give numerous problems in lumber measure; buy and 
sell by the M. Ditto brick. Ditto hay by the ton, etc. 
Review at pleasure in such portions of the book as 
thought best. If completed before the date of exami- 
nation, pass to the next month's work. 



4o6 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

NOVEMBER — PERCENTAGE TO PARTIAL PAYMENTS. 

Find some good arithmetic and introduce percentage 
by analytical steps, long before reaching the subject in 
the text; if you make your pupils familiar with all that 
the term per cent, means, then you will have but little 
trouble in its application. Define terms when necessary 
and complete interest to partial payments. Adopt but 
one rule in the solution of problems, and omit all others. 
To those not satisfied with results, we offer the follow- 
ing as suggestive: 

Problem: Find the interest of $720 for 2 years, 5 

months and 15 days, at 5 per cent. 

2x3<5— 72 ) 
First STEP. 5x 3 ===15 > = 885 days. 

Rule. — Multiply j6 by the number of years, j by the 
number of montJis, place in a column for addition, then 
place days in the column with units figure one place to the 
right, and add. This will rediice the time to days. 

Second step.— 7^0x5x885^ $88.50. 

36 
Rule. — Place the principal, rate, and time i^i days 
upon one side of a linCy j6 upon the other, cancel, and 
point three places. 

(Teacher will explain omission of o in 36 and 3.) 
Write promissory notes; write same and find interest; 
write same, endorse payments, and compute interest to 
date; write same to order, endorse for exchange. 

DECEMBER — INTEREST CONTINUED. 

Treat Proportion as such, as Analysis, or as cause and 
efifect, at the discretion of the teacher. Continue inter- 



Outline of Study for Advanced Divisiofi. 407 

est, and review to discount, omitting compound interest 
if thought best. 

Try to have "actual business" transacted, as in many 
business colleges. Have notes, payments with receipts, 
bills of goods, endorsements, etc. Trade discount 
should be explained, thus: 20 and 10 off; two tens and 
five off, etc. Cull all your authors for good practical 
problems. 

Pass to next month's work when completed, whether 
the date of examination is at hand or not. 

JANUARY — PERCENTAGE, PARTNERSHIP, ETC. 
Complete and review all important applications of 
percentage, and all other topics to Analysis, inclusive, 
selecting only the important terms for definition. 

FEBRUARY. 

Square and Cube Root. Other topics and months 
at the discretion of the teacher. 

A bountiful supply of practical problems should be 
given weekly; the plan illustrated in the Intermediate 
Division is a good one. 

UNITED STATES HISTORY. 

The following limits for the examinations are but sug- 
gestive: 

October. — The Discovery Period. 

November. — The Settlement Period. 

December. — The Revolutionary Period. 

January. — Constitutional Period to Pierce's Admin- 
istration. 

February. — To Johnson's Administration. 

Other months at the discretion of the teacher. 



4o8 How to Grade and Teach a Country SchooL 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 

{1492-1607"] r Discovery. 

\^^l~'lll ^Period ofJ Settlement, 
1775-1789 ( ] Revolution. 

1789- J [Constitution. 

Write the above form on the board, slate, or scratch- 
book, and repeat until learned. 

"From 1492 to 1607 is called the Period of Discovery; 
from 1607 to 1775 is called the Period of Settlement," 
etc. 

Questions. — Why do we adopt the date 1492 as a 
beginning for the time of a period? Why do we divide 
the study of U. S. History into Periods? How many 
and what Periods? From what is each named? 

Write the form. Re-write it. Erase and write it 
again until thoroughly learned. 

I. Period of Discovery. 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 

( San Salvador. 

^ 1 , Isabella. 

Columbus. < c , 

j b. America. 

I^Cent. America. 

Cabots — Cape Breton. 

Vespucci — America. 

Write the form and repeat, "In 1492 Columbus dis- 
covered San Salvador; in 1493 Columbus founded Isa- 
bella on Hayti Island; in 1498 Columbus discovered 
South America, near the mouth of the Orinoco River," 
etc. Commence the statement with "In," a-nd simply 
make the best sentence to tell what was done. 

Directions. — i. Tell the story of Columbus's boy- 
hood. 2. Of his trials and triumphs in securing aid 



rt ^" 


' 1492 


t V 


1493 


E''l< 


1498 


^iz^ 


1502 


i-^ 


1494 or '97 


HQ 


. 1499 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 409 

to carry out his undertakings. 3. Of his first voyage. 
4. Of his subsequent voyages. 5. Tell all about the 
Cabots, and what they did. Ditto Vespucci. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

1. What did Columbus do with the $70 which Queen 
Isabella sent him? 

2. How many and what countries did he visit to 
secure aid in fitting out his vessels? 

3. What did "Old King John" do when he applied 
to him for aid? 

4. Where did Columbus think the Orinoco had its 
source? 

5. How many times was he buried? Where is his 
grave now? Locate the place. 

6. What did he make out of the Santa Maria? 

7. What did the Cabots take to England with them? 

8. Why was not the continent called Columbia? 

9. What was the German geographer's name who 
published the first account of the new world? 

10. Who first saw the land from Columbus's vessel? 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 

Palos to Gomera. 
Gomera to San Salvador. 
San Salvador to Cuba. 
Columbus. ^ Cuba to Hayti. 

I Hayti to St. Mary's. 
[St. Mary's to Palos. 
Recited: "Columbus sailed from Palos to Gomera, 
from Gomera to San Salvador, San Salvador to Cuba," 
etc. 

Let the pupil find and locate each of the above on 
some good map. 



Tracing 



410 How to Grade and TeacJi a Country School. 



I. 

2. 

3. 
4. 
5- 
6. 
thus: 



REVIEW. 

Write the form for the Periods. 

For the Three Great Discoverers. 

For tracing Columbus. 

Write an account of Columbus's second voyage. 

Tell the; story of Columbus and the ^%%. 

Make out a skeleton to represent the Periods, 




Periods. 



Now fill the blanks orally. 

7. Make blank skeleton for the Three Great Dis- 
coverers and fill in same manner. 

8. Write a short paragraph about the Cabots. 
Remarks: — Tell nothing in the language of the 

author. Use your own language. Talk and write 
independently. 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 

f 1 512 — De Leon. 

I 15 13 — Balboa. 

Spanish. <J 1520 — Magellan. 

I 1541 — De Soto. 

Discoveries 1 1565 — Melendez. 

C 1524 — Verrazani. 

of <! French. <M 534 — Cartier. 

( 1605 — DeMonts. 

Nations. ( i 579 — Drake. 

T? \' \^ } .0 . \ Amidas. 
English. < 1584 \ ^ , 
^ I ( Barlow. 

[ 1602 — Gosnold. 

Dutch. — 1609 — Hudson. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 41 i 

Directions. — i. Take De Leon as a subject, and 
read all your history may say of him. If other authors 
are at hand, read their version of the same subject. 
Finally, settle down on the fact that "In 15 12 De Leon 
discovered Florida." 2. Treat the discoverers in 
order as arranged above, in a similar manner. Do not 
undertake the study of more than one or two daily. 3. 
As you proceed be sure to write and re-write all the 
preceding forms. 4. Tell the story of De Leon and his 
discoveries. Trace him from place to place. 5. Ditto 
for each discoverer. 6. Locate each place discovered, 
on the map (i. e., point out each place and tell where it 
is). 7, Make a list of each group of discoverers. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

11. Why was Florida so called? South Sea? Paci- 
fic Ocean? California? Virginia? 

12. What was De Leon looking for? Did he find 
it? Why? 

13. Why did Balboa come to America? 

14. Why did DeGourge murder the Spaniards? 

15. Why did Balboa wade into the ocean? 

16. Which discoverer drove hogs before him while 
traveling? 

17. Where did DeSoto leave his wife when he trav- 
eled through the South? Why was he buried so often? 
Where and how each time? 

18. What became of Magellan? Drake? Gosnold? 

19. Tell all you can about curious Indian mounds. 

20. After whom should this continent have been 
named? Why? 

21. What was the Astrolabe, as used by Columbus? 



412 How to Grade and Teach a Country School, 

22. What did Columbus do when he first stepped on 
American soil? 

23. What did the Indians think the ships of Columbus 
were? 

24. What explorer was left on Hudson's Bay to per- 
ish with his son and four companions? 

25. Is the chicken a native of America? The turkey? 
The horse? The sheep? 

26. What did Columbus believe Hayti to be? 

27. What is the only marsupial of America? 

28. What early explorer lies under a pair of stairs in 
Quebec? 

29. What noted explorer lies in the mud of the Miss- 
issippi? 

30. What is the oldest town in the United States? 

REVIEW. 

9. Write about each of the explorers in turn. 

10. What part of the United States did each nation 
claim, and why? 

11. How many and what nations made discoveries 
within the present boundaries of the United States? 

12. Trace Sir Francis Drake on his voyages? 

13. Who named Virginia? Why the right to name it? 

14. Tell all you can about tobacco and the potato. 

15. Trace Hudson to his abandonment on Hudson's 
Bay. 

16. Which is the oldest settlement in the United 
States? In Canada? 

17. Name the four great Indian tribes. Where was 
each located? 

18. Tell all you can about the Indian dress. 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 413 



BLACKBOARD FORM. 

j^ . C Florida. 

^Pain. { ^^^ Mexico, 



I Acadia. 
France. < Canada. 
Claims. \ ( Mississippi Valley. 

Holland. — New Netherlands. 

i N. Virginia. 
England. < S. Virginia. 

( N. Albion. 

Copy the above form neatly and carefully; recite, 
"Spain claimed all the southeastern part of the United 
States under the name of Florida," and "the southwest- 
ern under the name of New Mexico. " "France claimed 
the northeastern part of the United States, the northern 
(including Canada) and the whole of the Great Lakes 
and the Mississippi Valley, under the name of Acadia, 
Canada, and the Mississippi Valley." "Holland claimed 
the territory extending from the Delaware Bay to the 
Connecticut Valley, under the name of New Nether- 
lands. " "England claimed all of the southern part of 
the United States under the name of South Virginia, 
and the northern under the name of North Virginia, and 
the western under the name of New Albion." 

QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS. 

After a careful study of the map tell what claims over- 
lapped. 

19. The overlapping of claims would probably lead 
to what? Why was New Albion so called? Virginia? 
Florida? Acadia? Canada? New Netherlands? 

20. By what right could any nation claim a new terri- 
tory in America? 



414 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

21. By what right did the Dutch claim New Nether- 
lands? The English, North and South Virginia and 
New Albion? 

Remarks. — The recitation should be from the black- 
board form, invariably. Pupils should depend entirely 
upon the memory in class recitation, / e., all books and 
helps should be laid aside. More or less writing should 
be required at each recitation. Be sure that you can 
locate each place named in the text. Write the pre- 
ceding blackboard forms daily until learned. Never 
write them without repeating the sentence for each date. 

WRITTEN EXAMINATION. 

Write with ink if possible. Be very careful about the 
spelling of proper names. Indent the first word of each 
paragraph. After papers are graded file them for future 
reference. 

22. Write a short sketch of Columbus and what he 
did. 

23. When and by whom was Guanahani discovered? 
The Mississippi? How many years had intervened from 
the discovery of one to the discovery of the other? 

24. Write in order of the time of the discovery the 
names of the discoverers adopted in the analysis (black- 
board form). 

25. Tell the nationality of each discoverer, and the 
power he served. Tell the story of DeLeon and the 
Fountain of Youth. 

26. Who were the three great discoverers? 

27. Tell something you have read concerning the 
early discoveries not found in your text-book. 

28. What do you think about the real honor of the 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 415 



name America? Should it belong to Americus or Col- 
umbus? 

29. Did Columbus know that he had discovered 
America? Where did he die? 

30. Give the limits of North and South Virginia (in 
degrees). 

Colonial Period. 

blackboard form. 

1607 — Jamestown. 
1610 — Famine. 

^ ( Negroes. 
Virginia. <( 1620 — Women. 
1622 — Massacre. 
1624 — Royal. 
1 644 — Massacre. 
1676 — Bacon's. 
1607. 

Jamestown, 
j Eng. Emigrants. 
(^ Edward Wingfield. 

Directions. — i. After reading all you can find con- 
cerning the settlement of Jamestown, repeat: "In 1607 
Jamestown was settled." "In 1610 a famine occurred," 
etc. 2. Copy and recite the above as. you memorize 
the event. 3. Place "In" before 1607, "at" before 
Jamestown, "by" before Eng. Emigrants, and "under" 
before Edward Wingfield. Then memorize: "Virginia 
was settled in 1607, at Jamestown, by English emi- 
grants, under E:dward Wingfield." 4. Tell all you can 
about the Indian Massacres. 5. Tell all you can about 
the legislative assembly. 6. Read all you find on the 



r 



Virginia. <J 



41 6 Hoiv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

introduction of slavery into the colony. Tell this in 
your own words. 7. What is meant by a charter gov- 
ernment? Why so called? 

QUEER QUERIES. 

31. What did the Indians of Jamestown plant in 
order to grow ammunition? 

32. How many negroes were sold at first, at James- 
town? 

33. Were women really sold in Jamestown? If so, 
what was the price? 

34. How did Captain Smith shield himself from the 
arrows of the Indians? 

35. Is the story of Pocahontas's saving Captain 
Smith now accepted as true? 

36. How did Columbus make the ^^^ stand on end? 
Tell the story? 

37. What became of Sir Walter Raleigh? 

38. Are the ruins of Jamestown now visible? 

39. What early explorer climbed a tree in order to 
see the Pacific Ocean. 

40. What is meant by the Virginia Readjusters? 

REVIEV^. 

31. Write the. analysis of the claims to American soil. 

32. Write a good sketch of Balboa. De Soto. 

33. Locate territory which overlapped by conflicting 
claims. 

34. How many and what periods in our history? 
Give date of beginning of each. 

35. What did Columbus do? Balboa? De Soto? De 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 417 

Leon? Bacon? Pocahontas? Cortez? Gosnold? Car- 
tier? Magellan? Champlain? Verrazani? 

36. Make out the analysis of Virginia. Of the voy- 
ages of Columbus. 

37. What is meant by North and South Virginia, as 
mentioned in the histories? 

38. Explain what is meant by the Plymouth and the 
London companies. 

39. Why was Virginia so called? 

40. Did the early settlers find gold in Virginia? Is 
there any native gold in the State? Who is the present 
governor? How many and what capitals has it had? 

Remarks. — i. Do not memorize the text of any 
author. Use your own language to tell what you know 
of the text. 2. Write the answers to all questions. 
"Once writing a topic is worth twice reciting it." 3. 
Repeat and re-write, time and again, that which you 
find most difficult to remember. 4. Do not omit tak- 
ing notes as you find new facts in different authors. 

Make out blackboard forms for other colonies as in 
Virginia. Make up good list of queer queries; keep 
up the reviews. 

Intercolonial Wars. 

blackboard form. 



Cause? 



From 1689 to 1697. 

r Dover. 

T ,^0^ J Fort Pemaquid. 
In 1689 < ^ Ti ^ 

\ Casco Bav. 



King William's J 1 g^"^° ^'7 



Gain? 



(^ Salmon Falls. 
In 1690 — Schenectady, 
In 1691 — Port Royal. 
In 1697 — Ryswick. 



41 8 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

^ f From 1702 to 1713. 

L.ause.-' j^ 1704— Deerfield. 

Queen Amies. -< t ,1.^ u ^ r> 1 

^ ^ . j In 1 7 10— Fort Royal. 

^^'"- [ In 1713— Eutrecht. 

Cause? ( From 1745 to 1748. 

King George's. < In 1745 — Louisburg. 

Gain? ( In 1748 — Aix-la-Chapelle. 

Directions. — i. Look through the history of the 
above wars to determine why each was so named. 2. 
Search the geographies or gazetteer to locate Ryswick, 
Eutrecht and Aix-la-Chapelle. 3. Ditto each place 
named in the blackboard form. 4. Study the cause 
and gain (if any) of each war. 5. Practice writing the 
blackboard form, thinking of the exact location of each 
place as you\vrite the name. 6. Ditto same, thinking 
of the result of each battle, expedition, attack, etc. 7. 
If you do nothing more than remember the cause and 
gain of each war, do it well. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

41. Which colony took the Bible for its guide? 

42. What did the Indians wear upon their feet in 
making the attack upon Schenectady? 

43 What is the basis of Longfellow's Evangeline? 

44. On whose discovery did the English base their 
claims to American soil? 

45. What is meant by the "hasty pudding" of the 
colonists? 

46. What is meant by the Blue Laws of Connecti- 
cut? 

47. How was the Puritan church sexton armed dur- 
ing the sermon? 



Outline of SUidy for Advanced Division, 419 

48. In what way was tobacco responsible for the 
introduction of slavery into the Virginia colony. 

49. What was the first Bible printed in America? 

50. What nation introduced Santa Claus into our 
Christmas festivals. 



BLACKBOARD FORM. 



Cause? 



French 

and 

Indian War. 

Gain? 



"From 1754 to 1763. 

Gt. Meadows. 
Ft. Necessity. 



In 1754 



In 1755 

In 1756 
In 1757 

In 1758 
In 1759 



r Nova Scotia. 



Crown Point. 
Niagara. 
Ohio River. 
Gt. Britain. 
Oswego. 

-Fort William Henry. 
Louisburg. 
Crown Point. 
Ft. Frontenac, 
Ticonderoga. 
Niagara. 
( Quebec. 
In 1763 — Treaty of Paris. 

Directions. — First read all the matter at hand on 
the cause of the war; frame your answer to this ques- 
tion; then treat the subject of gain in the same manner. 
2. Read over the cause d^wd gain of each of the preced- 
ing wars and determine in what respect they differ. 
Couch your conclusion in good language and submit it 
to your teacher for his approval. 3. Read as separate 
topics in your several authors, Braddock's Defeat, the 
Expeditions of 1755, the Capture of Louisburg, Attack 
on Crown Point, Expedition against Ft. Frontenac, the 



420 Hozv to Grade arid Teach a Coitntry School. 

Ticonderoga Affair, and the Capture of Quebec. 4. 
Write the following names in this form, 

('Braddock. 
English J Loudon. 
Commanders. ] Abercrombie. 
[ Amherst. 

and recite: "Braddock was the first commander-in-chief, 
and was succeeded by Loudon, Loudon by Abercrom- 
bie, Abercrombie by Amherst." Do not abandon this 
form until you can tell the year that the succession took 
place and whether it affected the campaigns or not. 5. 
Be sure that you know who the French commander-in- 
chief was, and where he was killed. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

51. What poem did Wolfe recite and comment upon 
while crossing the St. Lawrence to his death? 

52. Who coined the first money in the colonies? 

53. Who first taught freedom of religious worship in 
the U. S.? 

54. When did the Puritan Sabbath commence? 

55. What penalty did Massachusetts inflict upon 
Quakers? 

56. Which lived the longer, Columbus or Queen 
Isabella? 

57. What was the name of Hudson's vessel? 

58. What did the Indian who killed King Philip 
receive for the deed? 

59. Why is your native State so called? 

60. What city of the U. S. containing a population 
of over 100,000 does not cast a single vote for President? 

Review. — i. Write a list of the intercolonial wars 
^jvith name of treaty opposite each. 2. Give the history 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 42 1 



of the witchcraft delusion. 3. Sketch the course of 
French discoveries and settlements in the Mississippi 
Valley. 4. Write the form for King Philip's War. 5. 
Ditto Queen Anne's. 6. Ditto King George's. 7. 
Ditto French and Indian War. 8. Give a history of Pon- 
tiac's conspiracy in your own language. 9. Write a list 
of all the wars, rebellions, etc, from the settlement of 
Jamestown to the peace of Paris, and tell where each was 
enacted. 10 Explain how it was that the colonists were 
contented under the English rule, and how they cheer- 
fully fought for her during the French and Indian War. 
Notes. — In your spare moments consult such author- 
ities as you may have at hand on the Jesuit Fathers, 
Jaques ' Marquette, Robert Cavalier de LaSalle, 
Louis XIV, Lemoine d'Iberville, John Law, Louis 
Joseph Montcalm de Saint-Veran (Montcalm), James 
Wolfe, Thomas Hooker, Thomas Shepard, President 
Chauncy, Cotton Mather, Governor Bradford, Governor 
Winthrop, Elihu Yale, Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin 
Franklin, John Bartram, Captain Kidd. We ought to 
know more of men and their good deeds than of wars 
and their influences (in the colonies). 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 

1660 — Navigation Act. 
1764 — Sugar Act. 

( First Colonial Congress. 
^^^^ I Stamp Act. 
1766 — Stamp Act. 
1767 — Duty on Tea. 
1768 — Troops. 
1769 — Traitors. 

C New York. 
'77° I Boston. 
1773 — Tea Party. 
1774 — First Continental Congress. 



Causes of 
Revolution. 



422 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Directions. — Read your authors to determine what 
was meant by the Navigation Act. If you are unable 
to do so, please ask your teacher to explain what is 
meant. 2. Tell in your own language what is meant by 
the Sugar Act. 3. Read the text until you have a clear 
idea of the difference between the First Colonial and 
the First Continental Congress. When you are sure 
that you understand this, fix the place of meeting for 
each. 4. What is meant by the Boston Tea Party? 
Tell the story of Colonel Montague and the "Minute 
man." 5. Read all you can get on the subject of the 
Boston Massacre and the troubles in New York with the 
5ons of Liberty. After you have thoroughly studied 
the causes of the Revolution as outlined by the black- 
board form, please re-read the text with a view to 
determining the real reason for the revolt of the colonies. 

Was "taxation without representation" the real reason 
as so often printed in our books? 

To THE Teacher. — Do not ask the set questions 
printed in your text, but have independence enough to 
stand up and de original in your teacJiing. Don't lose 
your individuality by following anybody's arbitrary 
plans, but use them as suggestive merely and work out 
your own plans from them. No matter if you are 
awkward, try to have your illustrations and questions 
filled with pith and point. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

61. What was meant by the "Writs of Assistance?" 

62. How many boxes of tea were thrown overboard 
by the "Boston Tea Party?" 

63. Who wrote "The Sun of Liberty is set; the 



Outline of Study foi' Advanced Division. 423 

Americans must light the lamps of industry and econ- 
omy?" 

64. What was the color of the stamps of 1765? 

65. Was the first bloodshed of the Revolution at 
Boston or New York? 

66. Did the tea cost the colonies more or less than 
it cost in England? Why did the people not drink it? 

6^ . What did Patrick Henry mean when he said, 
"Caeser had his Brutus, Charles i. his Cromwell," etc.? 

68. What did the colonists substitute for tea, and 
what did they call it? 

69. In which one of the preceding wars did the 
contending nations fight for tzvo years before they 
declared war? 

70. What was meant by the "minute men?" 
Review and Notes. — i. Write a list of the thirteen 

colonies, and tell where the Colonial and Continental 
Congresses were held. 2. What was meant by a Char- 
ter Government? 3. Write the forms for the first set- 
tlement of each of the thirteen colonies. 4. Tell all 
about Pontiac's war. 5. Look through your authori- 
ties and make a list of the early colleges with dates of 
their founding. 6. Ditto, and make a list of prominent 
actors from the time of Columbus to 1775. 7. Write 
the form for the causes of the revolution. 8. Ditto for 
the French and Indian War. 9. What zvas the cause 
of the Revolution? 10. Write a paragraph about each 
of your teachers (in order of their succession). 

Note. — With the first of the month commence with 
some good plan of reviews, and pursue them with a 
definite purpose, viz., for the purpose of knowing more 
of our country's history. Try this plan for one month; 



424 Hoiv to Grade and TeacJi a Country School, 



read all you can find concerning any man mentioned in 
the text over which you have passed. Study but 07te 
man each day for the twenty school days, and then 
compare your knowledge of United States history with 
your ignorance of it twenty days previous. With the 
commencement of the Revolution begin the study of 
men and their actions. 

Build up a study of the war of the Revolution after 
the same form as in that recommended for the Discover- 
ies and the colonies. 

Period of the Constitution, 
blackboard form. 



Monroe, 
''The Poor 
but spotless 
President. " 



1817 to 1825. 

o „ ( Seminole. 
1817 < T^/r- • . • 
' I Mississippi. 

1818— Illinois. 

C Alabama. 

1819 < Savannah. 

( Florida. 

Maine. 

Mo. Compromise. 

1821 — Misssouri. 

1822 — Monroe Doctrine. 

1824 — La Fayette. 



1820 



Directions. — i. Read this administration in a gen- 
eral way. 2. It would now be well to go back to the 
Brandywine and trace La Fayette through the Ameri- 
can Revolution. 3. Read your author to determine 
what the army of the West, Center, and the North did 
in 1813. 4. Read all you can find concerning the 
Declaration of Independence. 5. Are you sure that 
you know what was meant by the Missouri Compromise? 



Outli7ie of Study for Advanced Division, 425 

QUEER QUERIES. 

71. Of whom has it been said that "if his soul was 
turned wrong side out there would not be found a sin- 
gle blot on it. 

72. What president was the "father of a president?" 

73. Why was Monroe's second inauguration on the 
5th of March? . 

74. What was the name of the vessel which carried 
LaFayette home? 

75. What was the first steam vessel that crossed the 
Atlantic? 

^6. When was the American Bible Society estab- 
lished? 

TJ. Why were the Blue Laws of Connecticut so 
called? 

78. What was the length of an early New England 
sermon? 

79. If a woman went to sleep during one of these 
lengthy sermons what was done to wake her? 

80. Was slavery introduced in 1620 or 1619? 

WRITTEN REVIEW. 

Note. — Grade on spelling, capitalization and para- 
graphing in this review. 

41. Write about Queen Anne's war. 

42. Write about the Missouri Compromise. 

43- Make a list of States admitted from 1789 to 1825. 
Give dates. 

44. Tell of La Fayette's visit in 1824. 

45. Explain what is meant by the Monroe Doctrine? 

46. Tell about the purchase of Louisiana and the 
cession of Florida. 



426 How to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

47. Make a list of presidents as far as studied, with 
the vice-presidents. 

48. What was the cause of the whisky insurrection? 
Tripolitan War? War of 1812? 

49. After studying- the events of 181 3, write them. 

50. Write the form for Madison's Administration. 
Monroe's. 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 



825 to 1829. 

826 C Adams. 



Adams, I /t 1 \ \ ^ rr 

«'T^u r\\A T\/r T71 ,. '>\ (July 4) { enerson. 

The Old Man Eloquent. ^ ^-^ « t^ -i j 

^ 1827 — Railroad. 

1828— Protective Tariff. 
Directions. — i. Read any good sketch of John Q. 
Adams. 2. Read all you can find in your authors on 
the tariff question. 3. Read all at hand on the build- 
ing of railroads. 4. Review Jefferson's Administration. 
5. What was the effect upon the South of a high pro- 
tective tariff? Why? 

QUEER QUERIES. 

81. What were Jefferson's last words? 

82. What body elected John Quincy Adams? Why? 

83. What were John Adams's last words? 

84. When did Jethro Wood invent his cast-iron plow? 

85. What did the people call the tomato as late as 
1828? 

86. How was the news of the completion of the Erie 
Canal "telegraphed" from Buffalo to New York in 1825? 

87. What was poured into New York Bay when the 
last gun fired? 

88. What kind of rails had the first railroad? 



Outline of Study for AdvaJiced Division. 427 



51- 
52. 
53. 
54. 
55. 



89. What did Washington say when he heard of 
Arnold's treason? 

90. Who laid the corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monu- 
ment? 

WRITTEN REVIEW. 

Tell all about the steamboat. 

Write about the war with Tripoli. 

Give a good account of the events of 1775. 

Write a full account of the siege of Yorktown. 

Tell of the duty on tea, 1767; the Boston Tea 

Party, 1773. 

56. Tell where Washington wintered each winter of 
the war. 

57. Tell of the Second Continental Congress and what 
it did. 

58. Tell all about Arnold's treason. 

59. Write the form for James Monroe's administra- 
tion. Events for i754- 

60. How many and what kinds of government in col- 
onial times? 

BLACKBOARD FORM. 

" 1829 to 1837. 
183 1 — Monroe. 

f Veto. 

I Black Hawk's. 
i832<; Tariff Bill. 

I S. C. Nullification. 

[Asiatic Cholera. 

("Shooting Stars." 
•^"^ \ Hussey's Reaper. 
1835 to 1842 — Florida War. 
1836^ — Arkansas. 
1837 — Michigan. 



Jackson, 

"The Fighting 

President. " 



428 Hozv to Grade and Teach a Country School. 

Directions. — i. As special topics read the Black 
Hawk War, South Carolina Nullification, Seminole 
War, and Bank of the United States. 2. If a life of 
Davy Crockett can be secured, it would be well to read 
at least that part of it devoted to the Alamo. 3. Apply 
the "Set Questions" to this administration. 

QUEER QUERIES. 

91. Who was Old Hickory? 

92. How did Santa Anna select every tenth man out 
of his one hundred and seventy-eight prisoners for the 
purpose of shooting them? 

93. What did Jackson say he would do with the 
NuUifiers? 

94 Who invented the first reaping machine with 
sickle-edged sectional bar; protected by guards? 

95. When was the first Testament printed for the 
blind? How can a blind person read from a book? 

96. What three ex-Presidents died on the Fourth of 
July? 

97. When John C. Calhoun resigned the vice-presi- 
dency in order to lead the Nullification party, what 
medal was struck and circulated in the South? 

98. What did the Indians call Jackson? 

99. What did Washington say when told that his 
death must soon occur? 

100. Who shot Tecumseh? 

WRITTEN REVIEW. 

61. Write a list of States admitted from 1789 to 1837. 
Give dates and use correct abbreviation. 

62. Write the blackboard form for each administra- 



Outline of Study for Advanced Division. 429 

tion; if you are certain that you can write certain ones 
correctly, then omit them. 

63. Write causes of the Revolution. 

64. Write forms for Georgia. 

65. What was our Contitution from 1777 to 1789? 
Name some of its defects. 

66. Name all the wars and rebellions from 1789 to 

1837. 

6'J . Write a short history of Black Hawk's war. 

68. Who is your State Senator? How chosen? Your 
U. S. Senators? How chosen? How many U. S. 
Senators? 

69. What nations engaged in American discoveries? 

70. Tell all about DeSoto. 

Are you keeping your note book at hand zvhile readings 
and collectifig all the interesting notes possible ? 

Are you reproducing the blackboard forms daily as you 
advance ? 

Are you using your own language to express what you 
know about the text ? 

Can you answer all the Queer Queries about the Presi- 
dents ? 

Do you read some larger history than your school edi- 
tion ? Do you do this in order to strengthen the text, or 
merely for pastime? 

Will the word "yes" answer all of the above? 



PURIOUS |20c. # nUEER Ubc 

CURIDUS CDHWEBSI 

Woven from many Queer, Quaint and Curious Questions, gath- 
ered from many Queer Quarters, and all Unwound by 

There are 225 questions upon quaint and seemingly difficult points 
pertaining to History, Art, Science, Philosophy; Geography, Botany, 
and hosts of things which are not generally known by the average 
person. These are fully and completely answered in the book. 

OBJECT OF CURIOUS COBWEBS. 

To lessen the care of the teacher ; to make the school more attrac- 
tive and interesting; to interest jjarents in the work of the school; to 
induce the pupil to look outside of the text-book and schoolroom for 
information; to form habits of close observation in the growing pupil, 
and in forming these habits give him a fund of information which 
will repay for all the trouble and time expended. 

The answers are full and complete. It is fully indexed so that 
any item can be readily referred to. I give a few of the queries as 
samples: 

" How can you prove that there is a blind spot in the eye? " What 
river is spelled by a single letter?" "What State bought itself?" 
"How can you see a snail's 'foot'?" "What is the weight of a loco- 
motive?" "In what battle of the Revolution were all the dogs of 
the vicinity killed to prevent giving the alarm?" " Can a rabbit run 
up hill better than down? Why ? " " What member of Congress was 
never late at roll call ? " " Why will not the Jew's Harp produce a 
loud noise without placing it between the teeth? " " How can vessels 
carry grain free across the ocean? " 



QuEET QueriES 



BY YE PEDAGOGUE. 

A BOOK FOR THE STUDENT. 

A BOOK FOR THE TEACHER. 

A BOOK FOR EVERYBODY. 

A COLLECTION OF QUESTIONS ON DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF STUDY. 

This system of teaching "things not in the books" has been in use in many of the 
public schools for several years, and has met with almost unlimited success in being 
the means of inculcating facts and principles into the youthful mind which can hardly 
be impressed upon the memory in any other way. it will lea<l to investigations and 
researches on the part of the student which cannot prove otherwise than beneficial. 
Creates great interest in schools, at institutes, wherever used. 

fURIOUS 1 20c # nUEER l^Bc. 
UOBWEBSl ^ UUERIESP 

JOHN TRAINER, DECATUR, ILL. 



HOW TO/iF^^\ U. S. HISTORY, 

STUDY / 




By Ye Pedagogue. Author of ''Queer Queries." 

It teaches the pupil how to 
STUDY HIS LESSON, 

HOW TO PICTURE THE EVENTS ON THE MIND, 

FIND THE PROMINENT FACTS NEEDED, 
FIND PARALLEL AUTHORITIES, 

HOW TO REMEMBER DATES, 
FIND RARE POINTS AND OBJECTS OF HISTORICAL INTEREST, 

MAKE HISTORY THE MOST INTERESTING STUDY, 
USE AND MAKE "QUEER QUERIES," 
USE THE CYCLOPEDIA, 

READ BIOGRAPHY. 

Filling both teacher and pupil with enthusiasm and love for the 
study of U. S. History. 

It does in one term what old methods do not do in years. 

The Blackboard Forms are very pictures of study, and anyone can under- 
stand them. 

Tlie Directions for Study are pointed, concise and helpful. 

Tlie Q,ueer Q,ueries, of which there are about one thousand, are filltd with 
pith and point. Nothing like them. 

Tlie Review Q,uestioxis constantly "bring out" what is likely to be forgotten 

The Aiis-%ver8 to Q,ueer Q,ueries is a complete history of the United States 
in a nut shell, and in a manner to fix it firmly on the memory. 

The chapter on Individual States is a clear and concise history of the time 
of settlement, date of admission, and all the prominent points connected with their 
history to date. 

Mottoes of States is an interesting and instructive chapter. 

The book contains 225 pages, is well printed on calendered paper, 
is neatly and substantially bound, and is sold at the moderate price 

If book is not as represented, money refunded upon its receipt 
in good condition. 

Address the Author, 

JOHN TRAINER, 

Pecatur, III. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



